YOU KNOW you have reached the status of a boxing star when ring announcer extraordinaire Michael Buffer calls out your name in his trademark booming voice during a high-profile event like yesterday?s Oscar dela Hoya-Bernard Hopkins world middleweight headliner in Las Vegas.
Buffer, famous for his patented “Let?s Get Ready To Rumble” intro during main events, did just that when he introduced Manny Pacquiao in front of an overflow crowd at the MGM Grand just before Hopkins squared off with Dela Hoya.
Pacquiao?s face was flashed on the wide screen and was seen by a worldwide audience after Buffer had also introduced the likes of Roberto Duran, Antonio Tarver, Vitali Klitschko, Floyd Mayweather, Arturo Gatti, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera.
Buffer went on to call out basketball stars like Charles Barkley, Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Chauncey Billups and could not help but made it known that Nicole Kidman?s in the house, too.
Pacquiao, who has been training at the Wild Card Boxing Gym of Freddie Roach in Hollywood since last week, is raring to get back into the ring before the year comes to a close.
When he was caught on camera, Pacquiao, who hasn?t fought since his epic 12-round war with Juan Manuel Marquez also at the same arena, the deadly GenSan lefty dressed in a dark shirt, raised his potent left hand and grinned.
Pacquiao?s ticket was given to him by HBO.
