VAGABOND INN STAFF TO CHEER FOR THE PACMAN!
By Salven L. Lagumbay
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 27 Nov 2008
LOS ANGELES--The owner and staff of the popular Vagabond Inn, the place where superstar Manny Pacquiao used to stay in when he was still starting out in the United States, will be at special ringside when their favorite client battles it out with the legendary Oscar De la Hoya on December 6 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Sanjay Raj of the Vagabond Inn, who refers to Pacquiao as a "people person" owing to the superstar's people skills, said in an interview today that no less than the owner of the Vagabond Inn, Sam Patel, will be at the fight to show support for the Pacman. Raj will join Patel to the fight, along with D. Patel and Ambar Anabell.
"We will be there to support Manny in the biggest fight of his life. We love him," said Sanjay Raj, pointing out that even if Pacquiao is already a very rich man, the Pinoy superstar still has not forgotten his humble beginnings when he used to occupy Room 120 of the Vagabond Inn.
"Now, even the crew of HBO and ESPN, when they come here to cover Manny, they would look for Room 120," added Raj.
"He used to sit at that same place where you are sitting now," pointing out Raj, referring to the breakfast area where the then unknown Pacman used to have breakfast consisting of pastries, bread, coffee and fruit juice.
Room 120 of the Vagabond Inn is now being used by Philboxing.com crew Dong Secuya and this writer, as well as RMN-DYHP/SunStar Superbalita's Edward Ligas.
(NOTE: Raj also said that he is waiting for his other favorite client, Wakee Salud of Cebu. "Where is Wakee?" asked Raj. When told that the popular boxing promoter will be arriving on Nov. 28, Raj let out a smile. "Yeah, i know. He (Wakee) already emailed me," he said.)
Top photo: The Vagabond Inn branch in Hollywood, Los Angeles.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Salven L. Lagumbay.
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