LOOK who’s going to be at ringside as special guest in Game 1 of the San Mig Coffee PBA Fiesta Conference Finals?
Well, no less than boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.
The 27-year-old two-time world champion has been invited to do the ceremonial toss in the opener of the best-of-seven title showdown between Red Bull and Purefoods that begins Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.
Pacquiao, perhaps the richest and most popular Filipino athlete today, is fresh from a sensational 10th round technical knockout win over revered Mexican warrior Erik Morales during their blockbuster super-featherweight rematch at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada three weeks ago.
An avid lover of basketball, the pride of General Santos City has his own basketball team back in his province.
This marks the first time Pacquiao is doing the ceremonial toss in the Finals of a major local basketball league, although he did throw the ceremonial pitch in a Major League Baseball game in the United States September of last year to become the first Filipino to achieve the feat during the American League (AL) West match between the Los Angeles Angels and the Oakland Athletics.
“It is only fitting and an honor to the PBA to have Manny Pacquiao, the country’s sports treasure, as our special guest and the one who will do the ceremonial toss ushering the best-of-seven Finals of the Fiesta Conference,” said league commissioner Noli Eala.
“It’s just like in the Major League baseball in the U.S. where celebrities, either government officials or entertainment personalities are invited to do the ceremonial pitch,” added Eala.
The PBA commissioner said more in-venue activities are in store for the fans for the rest of the title series.
Pacquiao had also been honored by the league when it opened the 2005-06 season together with other rising boxing stars Rey `Boom Boom’ Bautista and reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) lightflyweight champion Brian Villoria.
The three were each given PBA replica playing shirts.
The Filipino lefty was then coming off a big sixth round knockout win over Hector Velasquez of Mexico in a match held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles that served as a tuneup fight for his rematch with Morales.
Both Bautista and Villoria also scored convincing victories as part of the Pacquiao-Velasquez undercard.
