The plan to have Ring Magazine featherweight champion Manny ?Pac-Man? Pacquiao invade Mexico City, the heart of Erik ?El Terrible? Morales? homeland in order to further fire up the growing Filipino-Mexican rivalry, may have to be postponed or even called off, according to American trainer Freddie Roach.
In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard yesterday, Roach said Pacquiao ?doesn?t have a visa to travel to Mexico and Monday is a holiday, so there is no way he can get a visa before Tuesday.?
Roach said the people, who planned the promotional event which had earlier been hailed as a great idea with Mexicans eager to get an up-close look at Pacquiao, who annihilated the legendary Marco Antonio Barrera and decked world champion Juan Manuel Marquez three times in the first round, ?obviously didn?t think about that.?
Meantime, Pacquiao?s wife Jinkee is preparing to leave for Los Angeles on Thursday, along with their eldest son Emmanuel Jr. She is tentatively scheduled to return on Feb. 5.
Roach informed Viva Sports/Manila Standard that Pacquiao and his wife won?t be living together as she will stay ?in a friend?s house.?
The American trainer, apparently using the extra three weeks available because of the cancellation of the Feb. 26 rematch with Marquez and the March 19 fight date with Morales, is bringing Pacquiao slowly back into condition following the Filipino?s fun-filled, late nights after the Fahsan 3K Battery fight last Dec. 11.
Roach said Pacquiao did his roadwork yesterday, but ?didn?t work out in the gym.?
According to the 2003 Trainer of the Year, ?it will be one week before we start sparring.?
