UFC star St-Pierre visits boxing idol Pacquiao

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight titleholder Georges St-Pierre is the latest celebrity to become an instant Manny Pacquiao fan. On a three-day visit to the country to promote the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), the 32-year-old St-Pierre wasted no time in paying a courtesy call on the Filipino ring icon at his Friday afternoon training session at the Elorde gym in Quezon City. The native of Quebec, Canada is visiting the country for the first time. Pacquiao had just arrived and was changing into his training gear when St-Pierre turned up at the gym, prompting trainer Freddie Roach to receive him on the ground floor of the five-story building. “What a heck of a team," said St-Pierre when Roach introduced to him to conditioning coach Alex Ariza and Pacquiao's sparring partners Glenn Tapia and Michael Medina. The UFC star had a private chat with Pacquiao inside the boxer’s dressing room, then stayed on and watched the world’s pound-for-pound champion work the mitts with Roach. And like the rest of those inside the oven-hot gym, St-Pierre was just as impressed. “He’s the fastest guy I’ve ever seen in my life. Both his hands and his feet. He’s fast. He’s amazing," said St-Pierre, whom Ariza helped out in getting stretched for a separate workout with Roach. When queried what would happen if he and Pacquiao get inside the ring and fight, St-Pierre let out a loud laugh. “He’s gonna make me look old," he said laughing. St-Pierre is set to defend his UFC title against Josh Koscheck on Dec. 11. He has a record of 20 wins and two losses, and have won his last seven fights, including those against the likes of Matt Hughes and BJ Penn. - KY/RCJ, GMANews.TV