With mariachis playing in the background and a crowd of over 200 San Antonio residents on hand, Pacquiao was officially welcomed back to the site of his ground-breaking knockout victory over Marco Antonio Barrera in preparation for his upcoming showdown with the unbeaten, but lesser known Mexican Jorge Solis.
Pacquiao (43-3-2, 34KOs) will stake his WBC International super featherweight title in the main event of Top Rank's "Blaze of Glory" triple championship card this Saturday night (Sunday morning RP time) at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
"I am very thrilled to return to San Antonio where I had one of my biggest wins over Barrera," Pacquiao told fightnews.com.
On November 16, 2003 at the Alamodome, Pacquiao headed into the battlefield as the heavy underdog but walked out of the ring in glorious fashion, scoring a brutal 11th round destruction of Barrera in one of the most shocking upsets in boxing history.
In the same internet report, Texas State Representative Joe Farias was on hand to welcome Pacquiao back and to wish him luck and offer any advice on his jaunt into the political world.
"Manny is a wonderful boxer with the type of passion needed to serve as an elected official. I just wanted to wish him well in his upcoming fight and wish him well in his election in May."
Pacquiao will challenge incumbent Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio for a congressional seat in the first district of South Cotabato in the forthcoming May 14 polls.
Farias was the first to greet Pacquiao, as he presented him with a Sombrero on behalf of the residents of San Antonio.
Today, Pacquiao will hold a media workout at the Jesse James Leija gym.