NBA -- Pacquiao hooks up Anthony Davis with signed gloves
By Homer D. Sayson
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 18 Nov 2016
CHICAGO -- After mauling Jessie Vargas to claim the WBO welterweight title last November 5, Manny Pacquiao waited less than 24 hours to hop back on a plane from Las Vegas to the Philippines where he eagerly resumed his senatorial duties.
Somewhere in between, the Pambansang Kamao (National Fist) handed PhilBoxing a gift for NBA star Anthony Davis --- a signed, blood red Everlast gloves.
Who says the Fighting Senator cannot juggle his time as boxer and lawmaker?
Five days after covering Pacquiao's latest Vegas conquest, we drove to the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee where Davis and the Pelicans played the host Bucks, a humdinger that ended in the Pelicans' favor, 112-106.
After the wire-to-wire contest, one where the three-time All-Star showcased his super stardom with 35 points, this author and fellow PhilBoxing/SPIN.ph writer Rex Alba headed to the locker room to meet Davis and his famous eyebrows.
Davis turned out to be a 6-foot-10, 253-pound bundle of joy. He was friendly, very gracious and welcoming.
We spoke briefly and we told him about his and the NBA's gigantic popularity in the Philippines, a nugget of trivia that pleasantly surprised him. He thanked Manny for the gloves and said he would "love to visit the Philippines" perhaps this summer.
We encouraged Davis to visit our shores sooner rather than later. We have no doubt he would love it there, just like the many NBA stars before him who have visited the Philippines.
Postscript -- We'd like to thank New Orleans Pelicans GM Dell Demps and New Orleans Pelicans Media Director Matt Ryan for helping us get access to Anthony Davis. Thanks as well to Aquiles Zonio, Manny Pacquiao's media man Friday, for always giving us the valuable time with the Senator.
Photo: New Orleans Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis receives a signed Manny Pacquiao boxing gloves from PhilBoxing.com NBA page editor Homer Sayson (R) and writer Rex Alba.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Homer D. Sayson.
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