PACQUIAO'S 32-Seater Aircraft

Pacquiao big in Japan

SOURCE: Granville Ampong

Yes, Sarangani Congressman Emmanuel "Manny-Pacman" Pacquiao cannot just hide from his Japanese fans once he arrives in Tokyo, Japan this Sunday, December 26. In fact, Dr. Patrick Itagaki would just love to meet his boxing idol despite his busy schedule next week as soon as he arrives in Japan from Los Angeles, California.

"Pacquiao has a lot of fans from our network of medical workers," states Dr. Itagaki who is visiting his parents in Los Angeles. "He is also big in Japan, not only in the Philippines, US and Mexico. We have a widescreen television in our gymnasium in Tokyo and we have watched his last three fights along with my countrymen."

"We are proud of him being an Asian hero and our Filipino employees are very, very proud of him, too. They regard him as their all-time hero ... almost their god," says the 62-year old cardiologist and business consultant who is running a worldwide medical network based in Japan.

Some 250,000 Filipinos are listed to be living within Japan's geographic confines, that excludes the unlisted and illegal ones, according to the Philippine Embassy.

Pacman and his wife, Jinkee, and their kids will have the first casual look and touch on their newly purchased European model 32-seater aircraft which was delivered on standby in Japan from Germany last week. The world reknown boxer has initially paid fifty percent of the total undisclosed price of the said aircraft.

The celebrated couple would be treating their kids to Disneyland and will be staying in Japan until December 30, the report says.

As of this writing, the Pacquiao family is staying for Christmas in Boracay.

Hopkins To Mosley: Beat Pacquiao

Mosley is Encouraged By Hopkins To Beat Pacquiao

SOURCE: Lem Satterfield

Bernard Hopkins got the ball rolling when he questioned the lack of African American opponents on Manny Pacquiao's record. A few weeks later, Pacquiao reached an agreement to face Shane Mosley on May 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Mosley and Hopkins are good friends.

Mosley watched last Saturday's bout between Hopkins and WBC light heavyweight Jean Pascal at the Pepsi Colesium in Quebec City, Canada. He was inspired by the way Hopkins, 45-years-old, overcame two knockdowns to dominate the 28-year-old Pascal. Most boxing insiders believed Hopkins was over the hill, and the same comments are now being made about Mosley.

"They thought that Bernard Hopkins was over the hill, but I knew that he would work hard to win the fight. Pascal had called him out, thinking that it was the right time to get Bernard Hopkins," said Mosley.

"But it turned out that that was not true. I figured that Bernard would win, and, I figured that he would win by knockout because of his experience and because I know the type of person that he is. I'm definitely encouraged by that."

Mosley Won't Be Easy But Pacquiao Can Prevent

Roach: It Won't Be Easy But Pacquiao Can Stop Mosley

SOURCE: Chris LaBate

Trainer Freddie Roach is predicting that his boxer, WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, will stop "Sugar" Shane Mosley on May 7 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Mosley has been down in one fight, against Vernon Forrest in 2002. The goal for Team Pacquiao is to accomplish something that no other fighter has been able to do, to stop Mosley.

Roach says it "won't be easy." Mosley is known to have a very good chin. He fought some of the biggest names in the sport, including Winky Wright, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricardo Mayorga, Antonio Margarito, Fernando Vargas and many others. The only fighter who had him seriously hurt was Forrest.

"Shane is a very durable guy. He has a good chin. It won't be easy but I think we can stop him in the late rounds. It won't be an easy fight. When he beat Margarito, everyone thought he was the best fighter at welterweight. We're going to train very hard for this fight. We don't take any opponent lightly," Roach said.

PACQUIAO's Retirement

What Happens When Manny Pacquiao Retires?

SOURCE: M.D. Walton

My colleague Brian Ethridge just wrote an article about how this Mosley fight could potentially be Pacquiao’s last fight in the US. It got me thinking about Manny when it comes to retirement.

I recall a few years ago someone saying that Boxing was a dying sport. Can you imagine if boxing disappeared tomorrow and what it would be like? Would fight fans turn to MMA? Would boxers call up Dana White and beg for a job with the UFC? Okay, boxing won’t truly disappear, but it certainly will feel like it when Manny Pacquiao decides to hang up the gloves.
I feel like Floyd Mayweather Jr wanted to test the boxing public when he announced his fake retirement a few years ago. He wanted to see if he was truly missed by the fans. Reality check: The only reason people want to see Floyd fights is to see someone take him down. Floyd could care less about his legacy. He only cares about his Big Boy Mansion and his Big Boy Maybach..and his Big Boy Cash. You look up “Prize” Fighting in the dictionary and you see Floyd Mayweather’s name next to it. Only making fights cause the cash is right when you get “Big” enough to exceed 1 Million Dollars is what I call a “Bi#%# Move”. Right now, boxing seems to be okay without Floyd Mayweather in it.
But what happens when Manny retires in a few years? Who will be at the top of the sport then? Manny’s accomplishments have outshined so many people that he’s now as big , if not bigger than Muhammed Ali. Forget just the Philippines, he’s made waves around the world. 60 Minutes, late night talk shows, Congressman, Time Magazine Cover, Champion in 8 different weight classes. I once referred to Manny Pacquiao as the Filipino Martin Luther King. Manny has raised the bar so high that when he’s gone boxing will have taken a stab to the heart.