Pacquiao, Hatton promo tour begins in Hitman’s hometown

MANILA, Philippines – The first step in the blockbuster showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton takes place over the weekend when the two popular boxers meet in Manchester, England to promote their May 2 title fight. If his hectic schedule was followed according to plan, the 30-year old Filipino boxing idol and his entourage had already left for London early Friday morning via Cathay Pacific. His entourage includes legal counsel Atty. Jing Gacal, close adviser Michael Konz and trainer/friend Buboy Fernandez. Team Pacquiao will have a brief stopover in Hong Kong, before proceeding to the England capital for the initial leg of his promotional tour with Hatton. This will be Pacquiao’s first trip to the United Kingdom, a modern unitary state whose principal head, Queen Elizabeth I), was to whom the boxing champion named after his new-born daughter. In London, Pacquiao will hook up with promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank as the two are expected to be together during the fan rally kicking off the promo tour in Manchester on Saturday (UK time). The fan rally takes place in the Great Hall of the Trafford Centre. On Monday, a press event highlights the two boxing icons’ stay in London, where Hatton commands a big following. From there, the promo tour proceeds to the US where a similar trip will be held in New York, Las Vegas and San Francisco, where a large community of Filipino is based. After the whirlwind promotional trip, hard work begins for the current world pound-for-pound fighter as he reports for the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles on March 4 where chief trainer and corner man Freddie Roach is waiting. Roach has prepared a grueling eight-week training for Pacquiao with the next two months reserved for keeping him in shape against the hard-punching Hatton. – GMANews.TV