MANNY Pacquiao was to get his birthday wish from lovely wife Jinkee, who yesterday said she would ask the world boxing celebrity to cut short his holidays and leave early to train in the United States, possibly on Dec. 28.
Pacquiao celebrated his 26th birthday yesterday and played Santa to a great horde of poor villagers who formed an endless line to get their share of goodies and cash from the Ring Magazine featherweight boxing champion.
“I’ve never seen so many poor people,” reported journalist Ronnie Nathanielsz yesterday afternoon. “Manny ran out of rice and sent for 85 sacks more.”
Nathanielsz, in General Santos City to record the birthday celebration for his Main Event television show, said the gift-giving, started after lunch, should be concluded only to give way to the evening feast, highlight of the celebration that was started with a motorcade on Thursday.
Rice, noodles, canned goods
Each villager got three kilos of rice, noodles, canned goods and a crisp P100 bill.
Pacquiao was originally scheduled to leave Jan. 5 to again link up with trainer Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, but his wife felt the urgency for the world boxing celebrity to depart much earlier.
“I know his opponent, Manuel Marquez, has already been training hard,” Nathanielsz quoted Mrs. Pacquiao as saying.
Pacquiao is slated for a rematch on Feb. 26 against Marquez, the WBA/IBF featherweight champ who salvaged a controversial split draw, after being downed three times, in their first fight in Las Vegas in May.
He hasn’t stopped training
Meanwhile, Buboy Fernandez, Pacquiao’s local trainer and childhood friend, denied reports that the Ring Magazine featherweight champ has stopped training since arriving in his hometown.
“I’ve been with Manny here in GenSan and he’s been running,” said Fernandez in Filipino. “He hasn’t stopped with his light conditioning.”
Fernandez noted that Pacquiao fully realizes the importance of his fight against Marquez.
“He’s still in good shape and he’ll be ready in time for the Marquez fight,” Fernandez explained. “I don’t know why some people are saying he’s been taking it easy.”
Fernandez also clarified that Pacquiao, who last Saturday crushed Thailand’s Fahsan 3K Battery in four rounds in Taguig City, will begin training at the Wild Card Gym in the US on Jan. 5.
There had been concern among his handlers that Pacquiao may want to remain in GenSan until after his wife’s birthday on Jan. 11.
Roach had originally wanted Pacquiao to leave for the US the day after Christmas.
“It’s not true that we’re leaving on Jan. 10,” Fernandez said. “Our manager (Rod Nazario) and (American trainer) Freddie Roach know that we’ll be there on Jan. 5.”
Fernandez made that clarification before Mrs. Pacquiao bared her sentiments to Nathanielsz.
According to Fernandez, Pacquiao continues to heed Roach’s advice to “stay disciplined” through the birthday celebration and Christmas.
Pacquiao was also expected to seal a negotiated deal with Murad Muhammad, his promoter in the US, through business manager Rod Nazario.
Big fights for big bucks
A win over Marquez would line up Pacquiao for fights expected to break past the P100-million peak.
However, the Mexican Marquez, described as a fitness freak, has already been training at an altitude of 10,000 feet in a bid to offset Pacquiao’s tremendous edge in power.
Pacquiao is trying to develop a new weapon, the right cross, in preparation for Marquez.
