TOP RANK is rolling the red carpet in New York for Manny Pacquiao, who arrives in the Big Apple on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) to begin exploratory talks with Bob Arum in relation with plans for his October 6 fight.
Top Rank publicist Lee Samuels said Arum has booked the Filipino at the over-the-top Le Parker Meridien Hotel on 118 West 57th Street near Central Park and Times Square.
Pacquiao will arrive there with wife Jinkee and sons Emmanuel Jr. and Michael Stephen from a five-day vacation at a Disney theme park in Orlando, Florida.
As part of Pacquiao’s itinerary, Top Rank is reserving a table at the Copacabana on Friday night when the 82nd Boxing Writers Association of America holds its awards dinner with Pacquiao as recipient of the 2006 Edward J. Neil Fighter of the Year trophy and his Los Angeles-based strategist Freddie Roach as the year’s Best Trainer.
The BWAA affair has a price tag of 5 a plate and is one of the most-awaited boxing-related events of the year.
The following day, Pacquiao will be at ringside when younger brother Bobby faces Humberto Soto at Madison Square Garden.
And if everything falls into place, Arum would like to bring along Pacquiao to a short plane ride to Canastota in upstate New York for the International Boxing Hall of Fame annual parade on June 10.
Top Rank has a handful of names being eyed to face Pacquiao and tops on that short list is Marco Antonio Barrera, who is aching to get a rematch with the 28-year-old GenSan puncher who stopped him in Nov. 2003.
