LOS ANGELES-Hordes of fans chanted his name in unison and Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao acknowledged everyone by raising his Spiderman sparring gloves before he worked out Wednesday and Friday here, taking little break from his observance of Holy Week.
They high-five him and touch gloves whenever they could get a chance and ask to pose for souvenir photographs during brief lulls and in between gaps of training. They chant, “Manny, Manny, Manny,” like a well-orchestrated cheering squad and Wild Card Gym here has started to turn into Pacquiao’s home court.
Pacquiao played to the crowd which now averages 50 every sparring session, hammed it up and delivered combinations that merited applause round after round. Trainer Freddie Roach was trying to connect in a whisper to his ward as Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez translated the message into his childhood friend’s native tongue.
