POUND-FOR-POUND king Manny Pacquiao received an ovation from some 70,000 fans watching an NFL game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, a member of his entourage told the Inquirer Friday.
“The fans cheered Manny, they cheered (Antonio) Margarito,” Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz told the Inquirer from Texas.
Pacquiao dropped by the posh $1.2 billion facility during an NFL game won by the Dallas Cowboys on a last-second play as part of his three-city promotional tour for his bout against Margarito for the WBC super welterweight belt on Nov. 13 at the same venue.
Aside from Koncz, also part of the uncharacteristically small Pacquiao entourage was renowned trainer Freddie Roach.
Koncz expressed optimism that the fight will be a sellout, saying “they are going to make arrangements for 80,000 if they have to.”
Koncz said Pacquiao “did some interviews at halftime and walked the field which was shown on the huge screens and when the fans saw that they gave him a very warm reception.”
Koncz said they returned to their hotel and “a very tired” Pacquiao went to bed almost immediately. Pacquiao is expected to fly home to Manila after the final press conference at the Dallas Stadium on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Floyd Mayweather Jr. launched a racist outburst against Pacquiao on his latest UStream broadcast.
Mayweather called Pacquiao, owner of an unprecedented seven weight division crowns, a “midget” and added “you know we’re going to cook that little young chump, with cats and dogs.”
Even before he left for the promotional tour, Pacquiao politely declined to get into a word war with Mayweather, responding with a “no comment” to the tirades of the undefeated “Money.”
Ronnie Nathanielsz, Phil. Daily Inquirer
Subject: Pacquiao receives warm Texas welcome 
Sun Sep 05, 2010 10:32 am
