NEW YORK CITY?On the eve of their official face off, Manny Pacquiao and Adrien Broner finally came face-to-face Sunday during a photo and film shoot that saw both fighters acting as though they were old pals and not guys who have been tasked to render each other hurt and pain.
Pacquiao and Broner burst into laughter a few times as they were told to see engage in a staredown before the cameras with materials to be used to promote their World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight title fight scheduled January 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The film crew even came out with an advisory, asking everyone not to post moving videos and still photos of the encounter at a studio in neighboring Long Island as doing so would pre-empt the release of the official teaser.
Pacquiao, who turns 40 on Dec. 17, appeared the fighter who looked in finer form clad only in trunks while Broner, 29, looked bigger but flabbier.
Those in attendance also could not help but crack up as Broner was asked to put his face just a few inches from that of the Filipino legend.
?It?s like in the movies when you?re about to kiss someone,? said Broner, a four-division champion.
Pacquiao and Broner backed away several times from each other as they tried their best not to laugh.
But the mood kind of hardened towards the end of the session and there were no longer teasing and laughing but only cold looks and meaningful stares given to each other by Pacquiao and Broner.
However, the trainers of the two fighters were not totally amused by the seemingly cordial treatment shown.
?Broners going down once Manny hits him,? Pacquiao?s lead trainer Buboy Fernandez whispered while watching the proceedings a few feet away.
Steve Cunningham insists that his fighter ?is a lot stronger and a lot better boxer than what most people think.?
?AB (Adrien Broner) comes to fight and he?s waited for this big opportunity, a super fight his whole career,? added Cunningham, who will bring Broner to West Palm Beach in Florida for training camp immediately after the two-city promotional tour.
The comic ambience at the studio is likely to be far more different that their first encounter when they come face-to-face again Monday when a formal press conference takes place at the Gotham Hall.
Broner, who is as flashy and flamboyant as Floyd Mayweather, will be Pacquiao?s first title defense foe following his winning of the WBA 147-lb crown from Lucas Matthysse of Argentina via seventh-round knockout last July in Malaysia.
From here, Pacquiao will take a private plane to Los Angeles Monday afternoon for another media gig on Tuesday while Pacquiao?s support staff will take a commercial flight.
On Wednesday, Pacquiao will head to the Philippines to start his own training camp. (Nick Giongco)
