PACQUIAO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 12 Jan 2008
Close friends and associates of Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao insist that he is now "a completely changed man" devoting time and all his affection to his wife Jinkee and their three children.
The reaction came following photos published in Philboxing.com and some newspapers including the Manila Standard showing Pacquiao dancing with someone who was not his wife at a club in Makati City. One photo showed his constant companion Jake Joson who is referred to by Pacquiao insiders as the "Shadow" in the background.
When Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today called Pacquiao in his hometown of General Santos we learned that he was in school at Notre Dame College where he is taking up a course in business management.
Close friend and confidant Rex "Wakee" Salud said he and "everybody around Manny is surprised at the change" also disclosing that the pictures that saw print were taken quite some time ago. Pacquiao himself earlier brushed aside the publication claiming there were unnamed people who wanted to damage his reputation.
Salud said "there is a big change in Manny. He is now a very good family man" and spends lots of time with his wife and kids. Salud said he doesn?t know what happened but Pacquiao now "doesn?t go out, doesn?t gamble and has stopped drinking completely" adding they all welcomed the change in Pacquiao?s lifestyle.
Salud repeated what Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told us after a luncheon at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel & Casino with Pacquiao and his family who spent a New Year?s holiday in Las Vegas. He said Pacquiao was "totally focused" on his March 15 rematch with WBC super featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez.
Arum said Pacquiao "bought his wife a nice gift for her birthday and they looked very happy" and clearly enjoyed the chance to be together as a family with no outsiders or hangers-on disturbing Pacquiao who had requested Arum not to tell anybody where he was.
WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa who is close to Pacquiao and has a great respect and admiration for him said he was pleased with Pacquiao?s change in lifestyle. He said "I am very happy. That?s very good" even as he expressed the hope that the change will last. Penalosa himself leaves for Los Angeles today to continue training at the Wild Card Gym of Freddie Roach in preparation for his mandatory title defense against Thailand?s former world champion Ratanachai Sor Vorapin on March 2 at the Araneta Coliseum.
Pacquiao was scheduled to take a quick trip to Davao City before leaving for Los Angeles on Monday which will be in time for the luncheon news conference at the Beverly Hills Hotel Rodeo Room on January 15. Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer and Bob Arum of Top Rank will also be at the news conference where Pacquiao and Marquez will come face-to-face.
Well-known broadcaster and boxing writer James Blears earlier
told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that the Marquez rematch will be "the toughest contest Manny will ever fight. It will be the fight of his life." Marquez told Blears "I?m telling you again that I am going to demonstrate who is better and I?ll win this one."
While Marquez conceded that Pacquiao was "very strong" he said he isn?t technically sound and "doesn?t know how to back up." Providing an insight on how he planned to fight Pacquiao, Marquez said he would use "a mixture of aggression, counter-punching, lateral movement but above all intelligence as a boxer."
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