LAS VEGAS —He did not hide his joy by jumping out of his premium ringside seat the moment Erik Morales went down and referee Kenny Bayless stopped the fight to signal that Manny Pacquiao had succeeded in exacting payback.
“Talagang napatalon ako sa upuan ko. Yaaaaah,” said a chuckling First Gentleman Mike Arroyo on Sunday afternoon as he was strolling around the Wynn Resort and Casino following Pacquiao’s sensational 10th round demolition of Morales at the Thomas and Mack Center.
“Sana ‘yung next fight ni Manny ay doon naman sa Pilipinas,” said Arroyo. “Para naman ‘yung taong bayan ay nandun.”
PLDT chief Manny V. Pangilinan, according to Arroyo has expressed willingness to stage a Pacquiao bout in Manila if the Filipino boxer is given the green light.
Pangilinan also heads Smart Communications.
“Meron na kaming kausap. Si Manny Pangilinan will be willing to give the same guaranteed prize money. I have brought out the idea to him and he likes the idea and it would all depend on Manny at sa mga promoter kung magkano ang hihingin,” said Arroyo.
“Hopefully, we can also gain the support of Pagcor in promoting the fight in Manila,” he said.
Arroyo said the victory of Pacquiao was a good way to start the new year since the Philippines is also fresh from topping the 23rd Southeast Asian Games.
Nothing’s clear on what and when would be Pacquiao’s next assignment since a projected third fight with Morales won’t likely take place in May or June because of the terrible beating the Mexican sustained over the weekend.
Pacquiao has fought mainly on US soil the last four-and-a-half years and was last seen strutting his stuff before Filipino fight fans in December 2004 when he took out Fahsan 3K Battery in Taguig.
