LOS ANGELES, California — Manny Pacquiao, frustrated in two previous bids at MGM Grand here, tries to hit his career’s biggest jackpot in a new arena on Saturday (Sunday morning in Manila).
Pacquiao rode in his gray P6.5 million Porsche sports car with wife Jinkee and ally Rex “Wakee” Salud to this glittering gambling capital where he was welcomed with balloons and cheers by the Filipino staff of the fabulous Wynn’s Las Vegas, built along the world-famous Stip eight months ago.
Unlike in his past two major fights here, there was no giant billboard announcing Pacquiao’s January 21 rematch with Erik Morales along the special highway leading to the heart of Las Vegas and its spellbinding cluster of hotel-casinos.
But when he entered the hotel lobby, Pacquiao was told what his presence was all about.
The first battle was an epic, announced the framed announcement at the lobby of Wynn’s, a 2,700-room wonder that boasts a golf course in its vast compound.
Morales arrives at this gambling mecca Tuesday in a private jet in time for the press conference on Wednesday.
The weigh-in is scheduled Friday and Morales could be expected to check in pale and wan after struggling with excess poundage.
Pacquiao is expected to breeze through the scales.
However, the Filipino idol, who showed up with a taped forearm for his final sparring yesterday, will have to do something drastic, short of cutting the ropes, in order to free himself of the technical barriers to be erected by Morales inside the fight ring.
Morales can be expected to show up for the fight fully recharged after reporting like a tubercular for the weigh-in in the first encounter.
