Manny Pacquiao visits Cebu

Unknown to most of his fans, Manny Pacquiao made a surprise visit in Cebu yesterday. However, it wasn’t to promote his upcoming fight with a Mexican legend or to pursue his other hobbies like billiards and cockfighting. Pacquiao made a surprise visit to watch the development of the Rex “Wakee" Salud International gym, which is undergoing a major renovation. It was Pacquiao’s first visit to Cebu since he got a mixed-reaction when he watched the Moment of Truth boxing card in February. Pacquiao, owner of the MP Promotions with Salud as his business partner, had made the RWS Boxing gym in Punta Princesa this city as his official training center in Cebu. The gym, which will formally open in October, has been expanded to accommodate two boxing rings, and brand new facilities. It also houses boxers and has its own office beside the training center. After testing some of the facilities, including the speed ball and recommending some more improvements, Pacquiao together with his lawyer Jing Gacal, trainer Boboy Fernandez and Salud and former Cebu City councilor George Rama left for another appointment. Pacquiao is set to leave for his training in the US on Aug. 1 at the Wild Card gym. He and his opponent Marco Antonio Barrera was set to start their promotional tour today in Los Angeles, California but Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has decided to cancel the event, obviously, because Pacquiao is not yet around. No worries “No need to worry. I am fit and everybody knows that when I start training I do it with my best," Pacquiao told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday. While in General Santos City, Pacquiao trained to keep fit by running every morning to prepare him for the rigid training regimen ahead. Pacquiao is set to fight Barrera in a highly anticipated rematch on Oct. 6 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Resort Casino. The Pacquiao-Barrera rematch is what boxing fans have been waiting for for almost four years and this was finalized only after Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions signed a peace pact in June that settled all lawsuits the two groups filed against each other. - Sun.Star