PACQUIAO ENJOYS TRIBUTE TO ARUM
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 04 Jun 2010
Pound-for-pound king and ?Fighter of the Decade? Manny Pacquiao had an enjoyable evening at a gala dinner in honor of Top Rank promoter Bob Arum at the Friar?s Club on East 55th Street in downtown New York.
The tribute to Arum was hosted by HBO commentator Jim Lampley and according to Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz Pacquiao had planned to leave early but ?really enjoyed the affair and stayed around to the end.?
After dinner the guests moved to the ballroom of the Hilton Hotel because there were too many people who could not be comfortably accommodated at the Friar?s Club.
Koncz told us that Pacquiao gave a short speech and Arum closed his own remarks by citing how Pacquiao ?unites not only the Filipino nation but also Filipinos all over the world as well as others.?
Koncz said the affair ?went very well with over 300 people in attendance and it was a very enjoyable experience for Manny and everybody had a great time.?
He said the speakers had cited ?all the good things Arum had done as a human being even as Koncz remarked that "Manny is looking forward to the BWAA awards dinner but I think he really enjoyed himself today.?
Among the boxing greats who attended the tribute to Arum were former heavyweight champion George Foreman, six-time former world champion Tommy ?Hitman? Hearns and former world lightweight champion Ray ?Boom Boom? Mancini among others.
The Pacquiao adviser said Pacquiao was looking forward to the prestigious Boxing Writers Association of America annual awards dinner on Friday when Pacquiao will receive the ?Fighter of the Year? award from former heavyweight champion and a previous winner ?Smokin? Joe Frazier.
When we informed Pacquiao two days ago that Frazier would present the award to him he said he was thrilled adding ?It?s a great privilege and an honor to have somebody of that caliber, a former heavyweight champion of his stature present him with the trophy.?
Pacquiao who established a record of winning seven titles in seven different weight divisions will also receive the ?Fighter of the Decade? award at the ceremony which is expected to draw a big crowd, many of them Filipinos to whom Pacquiao is effectively a national treasure.
BWAA president Jack Hirsch had previously told us that Pacquiao won the ?Fighter of the Decade? poll among the members of the Boxing Writers Association of America by an overwhelming 2-to-1 margin over Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Top photo: Six-time former world champion Thomas 'Hitman' Hearns, seven-time world champion and "Fighter of the Decade" Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao and former Lightweight champion Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini pose with Hall of Fame Top Rank promoter Bob Arum(2nd from left) after attending the "Friars Club Salute to Bob Arum" in New York City Thursday night. Arum is in town promoting Miguel Cotto vs Yuri Foreman, Saturday, June 5 on HBO Championship Boxing at Yankee Stadium.-- Photo Credit: Chris Farina - Top Rank.
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