By Ronnie Nathanielsz
A "homesick" Manny Pacquiao, Ring Magazine's featherweight champion and "People's Champion" following his devastating eleventh round TKO over legendary Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera last November 15 in San Antonio, Texas, surprisingly returned to Manila morning from Los Angeles even as his business manager Rod Nazario was flying to LA from Florida to meet him.
Pacquiao's wife Jinkee flew in from General Santos City at 12 noon and the two embraced as she arrived in their home in BF Homes, Paranaque, a middle class residential village in Metro Manila. In an exclusive, wide-ranging interview with Viva Sports/Manila Standard which will be telecast on the Main Event on Sunday over RPN 9, Pacquiao said I was feeling homesick. I missed by wife and kids as well as my mother (Dionisia) and returned to see them. You know I am really a Mama's boy. Pacquiao revealed that after a few days he will return to Los Angeles to continue my preparation for my next fight which is tentatively scheduled for November 27 or December 4 in Manila.
Pacquiao expressed the hope that the planned fight with WBO Intercontinental Champion Gairy St. Clair of Australia would push through so he won't get rusty because I have a rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez in February. Pacquiao pointed out that the WBA/IBF champion had a title defense against Orlando Salido in preparation for the rematch while he remained idle. Pacquiao said he had been training very hard and sparring with big guys at the Wild Card Gym of trainer Freddie Roach and that although his left hand which was injured early in the fight against Marquez last May doesn't hut anymore there was a slight pain near his left wrist which he believed was caused by battering the heavier sparring partners.
Roach had Pacquiao spar with three heavier opponents including touted Nigerian welterweight Kingsley Ikeke who has an impressive record of 20-1 with 10 knockouts as well as a Mexican lightweight among others. Roach himself said Pacquiao went a total of eight rounds with the three fighters and was as sharp as ever.
Pacquiao was visibly upset over the inability of promoter Murad Muhammad to get him a fight this year stressing that it was important for me to fight because no matter how good you are you get rusty. Besides, it is important to fight because I can improve even further. Pacquiao revealed that during the Marquez-Salido fight fans were shouting his name and demanding a rematch. Pacquiao also said he was hoping Barrera would beat Erik Morales in their third clash this November so he could get a blockbuster rematch against the man he annihilated last year. Pacquiao surprisingly said Barrera has a big chance of defeating Morales.
The Ring Magazine champion disclosed that younger brother Bobby Pacquiao, the reigning Philippine super featherweight champion who is rated No. 1 by the Orient Pacific Boxing Federation and Z "The Dream" Gorres who is also the OPBF No. 1 ranked super flyweight were doing impressively in the gym and trained hard alongside him at the Wild Card Gym. Pacquiao said they are both in good condition and that his brother had fights lined up for him on October 16 and November 12 and Gorres would also figure in the November 12 card because he had to take some time off after he arrived in LA so his hand which was hurt during his last fight against Sairung Suwanasil could heal. Pacquiao said he had taught both fighters how to have no fear and just like the KO Magazine article in which I said, surrender is never an option.
