LOS ANGELES?Every Manny Pacquiao fan and supporter has chipped in every little help they could give to ensure their hero?s success when he goes up against Mexican superstar Erik Morales on March 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV.
The Pacquiao bandwagon has never been this strong as Pacquiao?s superstar status has awakened nationalistic fervor among fellow Filipinos even as mainstream America has caught ?Pacman fever.?
Last Sunday, Pacquiao was blessed by the whole congregation of Christ the King church as Italian parish priest Rev. Fr. Antonio Cacciapuoti called him in front of the pulpit to lay hands on him in prayer.
The Catholic priest even gave Pacquiao a black rosary that was blessed by Pope John Paul II which the General Santos native promised to wear on fight night along with another one given by a Recollect priest from New York.
Last year, lawyer Richard Wilner promised to handle Pacquiao?s application for a green card, pro bono. Wilner also helped Pacquiao?s friends and other family members to get tourist visas even as hundreds of Filipinos led by the First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo will be coming from the Philippines just to watch him fight.
Dentist Ed De La Vega has volunteered his services, as he made the special made-to-fit mouthpiece Pacquiao will be using on fight night, something Pacquiao has never had in the past.
Well-meaning friends and volunteers including Joseph Jose, Pia Quejada, Joseph Ramos, Edward Lura and Greg Asuncion help in the day-to-day activities of Pacquiao, who is now tapering off from heavy training.
On Wednesday, Pacquiao visited the HBO offices in Irwindale, CA and signed autographs for employees who will be taking per-per-view orders.
?It was so nice of you to come to our office. For sure, you will get our full support so that your fight with Erik Morales will be a box-office success,? said one member of the telemarketing team.
Ordinary fans who have nothing much to offer have promised to pray for the victory of Pacquiao, the first Filipino athlete to perform under the pay-per-view system.
Meanwhile, ticket sales to the Pacquiao-Morales encounter continued to dwindle even as all rooms at the MGM have reportedly been booked on March 19.
HBO pay-per-view officials also project that the fight dubbed ?Coming With Everything? will surpass other pay-per-view fight gate receipts including the third of the Morales-Marco Antonio Barrera trilogy.
