PACQUIAO ABANDONS TEAM PHILIPPINES, RETURNS HOME
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 13 Aug 2007
Manny Pacquiao who was named captain of Team Philippines in the World Cup showdown against Mexico at the Arco Arena on Sunday discarded the honor and flew back to Manila without informing either trainer Freddie Roach or Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya who were scheduled to fly in a private jet to Los Angeles to pick up Pacquiao and take him to Sacramento.
Filipino fight fans were disappointed when Pacquiao failed to show up at the weigh in while Juan Manuel Marquez, who had replaced Marco Antonio Barrera as Mexico?s team captain, was there.
Australian Michael Katsidis, who defeated Czar Amonsot in an WBO lightweight title war recently, stepped into the ring in the Filipino?s corner wearing a jacket with the Philippine flag and cheered them on in every fight winning both the respect and the gratitude of fight fans for his gesture.
Pacquiao reportedly flew back aboard an early morning Philippine Airlines flight with boyhood friend and trainer Restitito ?Buboy? Fernandez and sneaked out of the arrival area at the Centennial Terminal.
A few hours later Pacquiao played a pickup game of basketball on one of the courts at the Alabang Village along with former PBA star Jerry Codinera and TB host and Manila Standard Today columnist Anthony Suntay. Suntay said he didn?t ask Pacquiao why he returned but stressed ?considering he just got off a plane after a long flight he was in very good shape.?
Close friend and confidant Rex ?Wakee? Salud confirmed that Pacquiao was flying to Cebu but said he did not know the reasons for his sudden departure from Los Angeles after training at the Wild Card Gym of Roach and in the words of Roach ?looking good.? Salud said he couldn?t find out the real reason unless he spoke to Pacquiao personally.
There were various speculations over why he left including reports that he asked for a $1 million dollar advance on his purse for the rematch with Barrera on October 6 and apparently didn?t get it. There were also rumors that he resented a story in which De La Hoya reportedly lectured him about his responsibilities.
Pacquiao had earlier postponed his departure for the US no less than five times and forced promoters Golden Boy and Bob Arum?s Top Rank to postpone a press conference they had set up at the plush Beverly Hills Hotel which incurred some costs. He also came under fire for delaying the PAL flight to LA by one hour last week, earning the ire of passengers as he couldn?t make up his mind whether to leave or not.
Roach denied reports that Pacquiao left because he had an argument with his celebrated trainer. In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today, Roach said ?that?s a lie. We didn?t have an argument.? Roach said he had ?no idea? what the problem was but indicated if Pacquiao planned to train at the new gym of ?Wakee? Salud in Cebu and ?if he wants me to train him in Cebu for the first month, I?ll come over.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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