By Ronnie Nathanielsz

The “Hero of Asia” Manny Pacquiao returned home late Monday night from New York where he was pleasantly surprised at the ovation he received from the predominantly Puerto Rican crowd at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Manila Time, when he watched the Miguel Cotto-Joshua Clottey and Rodel Mayol-Ivan Calderon world title fights.

Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz confirmed that the Filipino boxing icon was by far the most popular celebrity at the Garden and was very pleased at the way he was received by the fans.

Koncz said that Pacquiao and wife Jinkee received a call from their eldest son Jimwell early Tuesday morning from Bohol who “negotiated with Mom and Dad” to remain in the picturesque island and delay their return to Manila as scheduled Tuesday morning.

Instead, Koncz told us that Pacquiao and wife Jinkee would take an afternoon flight to join their children in Bohol and continue the interrupted family vacation over the next couple of days.

Earlier, promoter Bob Arum told us he would begin working on a planned November 14 fight with the Cotto people Monday in Las Vegas since he had been given instructions by Pacquiao to make that fight.