GRAPEVINE, Texas—The transformation took only a few minutes, yet it left a lasting impression among the lucky souls at the Gaylord Texan Hotel on Thursday.
After stepping out of the ring, Manny Pacquiao dried himself up, changed shirt and shelved his status as world boxing champion and pound-for-pound king to pursue another passion—singing.
Still oozing energy after a shortened final workout at the convention hall, Pacquiao repaired to the adjoining enclosed hall to be with the MP band, which includes singer-composer Lito Camo and crooner Madonna Decena.
The only seven-time world champion in as many division was no longer punishing sparmates but belting out songs, opening up with La Bamba, then the Filipino ditty Laki sa Layaw and Imagine to the delight of the fans.
Pacquiao, who has several hit records back home, was actually rehearsing with the band, which is slated to perform in the fighter’s postfight party at the Texas Rangers Ballpark on Saturday.
In the middle of the performance, a massive black man suddenly darted in front and showered Pacquiao with $1 bills.
He turned out to be Kwaku Gyanfi, a Ghanaian who cooks for Joshua Clottey, Pacquiao’s challenger on Saturday for the Filipino’s WBO welterweight crown.
Gyanfi, who had told Manila-based sportswriters Wednesday that Clottey would beat up Pacquiao so bad he won’t be able to perform in his traditional postfight celebrations, claimed he was a fan of the Pacman.
Other fight fans, including foreigners, simply couldn’t believe that less than an hour earlier, Pacquiao was shadow boxing, skipping ropes and pounding the mitts.
NOTES: Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto arrived Thursday to watch the Pacquiao-Clottey tussle. Cotto bested Clottey by split decision but got clobbered by Pacquiao last year. World Boxing Council president Jose Sulaiman was also here for The Event co-promoted by Texas billionaire Jerry Jones and Bob Arum, head honcho of Top Rank.
