Manny nixes TV shoot with Kobe

Manny nixes TV shoot with Kobe By Joaquin Henson Publication Date: To prove he’s serious in training for Erik Morales, Manny Pacquiao turned down a rare chance to shoot a global TV commercial with pro basketball star Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles yesterday. A Team Pacquiao insider said Nike is filming an advertisement showcasing its high-profile stars, including Bryant, LeBron James, Maria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal, Tiger Woods and South Korean soccer star Park Ji Sung of Manchester United. Clips of the athletes will be edited for an institutional commercial. Bryant and Pacquiao were scheduled for shooting in the same Hollywood studio. A lunch date to introduce the Los Angeles Lakers star to Pacquiao was cancelled. "Manny knows what’s at stake in the fight so he’s making sure his focus is 100 percent in the gym,"said the insider. "He’s now in deep training for Morales and that’s why he had to beg off from the shoot." Bryant plays his first National Basketball Association (NBA) preseason game for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Utah Jazz at Fresno State tonight. Pacquiao, who recently signed a two-year endorsement contract with Nike, would’ve been the only boxer in the elite circle. Pacquiao’s contract covers shoes, training equipment (like skipping rope) and gym body-wraps. It does not include apparel as Pacquiao has a live contract with "No Fear" until next year. Pacquiao will pitch for Nike in print ads and billboards. He will also make public appearances. The Nike contract was described by a Team Pacquiao source as "unprecedented" for a Filipino athlete as it was approved in the company’s Portland headquarters. The source said Nike plans to fly Pacquiao to Las Vegas for the NBA All-Star Weekend in February next year as Michael Jordan’s special guest at the launch of the shoe Air Jordan XXII. A meeting with Nike boss Phil Knight may be arranged to formally welcome Pacquiao into the company’s league of superstars. The All-Star Weekend will start off with the opening of the NBA Jam Session at the 350,000 square foot Mandalay Bay Convention Center and end with the All-Star Game at the Thomas and Mack Center on Feb. 18. Roy Jones was the first fighter signed by Nike to an endorsement contract although it was strictly for the Jordan brand. Pacquiao is the first fighter to endorse the Nike brand. When Pacquiao meets Morales in "The Grand Finale" in Las Vegas on Nov. 18, several Nike stars may be at ringside. Woods, for instance, may watch the fight if his schedule permits. "There’s something about a Pacquiao fight that excites the fans," said Manny Pacquiao Promotions vice president for marketing Eric Pineda. "I wouldn’t be surprised if Tiger Woods watches the fight. He’ll be cheering for Manny, of course, since they’re both Nike stars and Tiger is half-Asian. I can’t think of a fight that was more exciting than Manny’s fight against Morales last January and this coming fight will be even more exciting. When you watch Manny fight, you know there will be fireworks." Several shoe companies offered juicy contracts for Pacquiao to sign. A Chinese brand, that is starting to make waves internationally, made a serious offer and so did a well-known Japanese brand. But in the end, Pacquiao decided to go with Nike. A source said a huge Nike billboard will be unveiled in Metro Manila on Nov. 2 showing Pacquiao in a fighting pose and the words "Just Do It" at the bottom. The reference is for Pacquiao to get the job done when he faces Morales in the climax of their ring trilogy.