AS part of the promotional agreement that he signed for the megabuck rematch with Erik Morales next year, Manny Pacquiao left for Los Angeles last night to grace a press conference formally announcing one of the most awaited matches of 2006.
The press conference will be on Tuesday and Pacquiao said he will immediately head back to Manila to begin training in Cebu City after the affair. Wakee Salud, a confidante of Pacquiao, is having problems with his documents and is doubtful whether he will make the 10 p.m. flight on board Philippine Airlines.
Pacquiao and Morales are booked to slug it out on Jan. 21 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas and it will be shown on pay-per-view.
Pacquiao is guaranteed a purse of $2 million, the biggest paycheck a Filipino athlete stands to receive. In his last outing last Sept. 10 at the Staples Center, Pacquiao was paid $750,000 for dismantling Hector Velazquez of Mexico.
When he first fought Morales on March 19 at the MGM Grand also in Las Vegas, Pacquiao received $1.750 million.
“I thought I can already afford to remain in the country and begin training this weekend in Cebu,” said
Pacquiao, who turns 27 on Dec. 17. “But I got a call from the US urging me to go there because Morales will also be there to promote the fight.”
Pacquiao said he is not sure whether ace trainer Freddie Roach will be with him when he gets back on Nov. 17 or 18. The GenSan kayo puncher will spend two weeks in Cebu before returning to the US for training proper.
His handlers want Pacquiao to spend at least six weeks in Phoenix, Arizona.
