MANILA, Philippines - Sa pagitan nina Manny Pacquiao at Floyd Mayweather, Jr., ang American fighter ang siyang kinampihan ni NBA legend Gary Payton.
Ito ay dahil na rin sa kanilang pagiging magkaibigan at magkapitbahay ng six-time world boxing champion sa Las Vegas, Nevada, ayon kay Payton.
“I like Mayweather,” ani Payton, nasa bansa dahil sa NBA Asia Challenge 2010 na inilaro kagabi sa Araneta Coliseum tampok sina NBA legends Chris Webber, Glen Rice at Mitch Richmond. “Mayweather is a close friend. Pacquiao is pretty good too. He’s the champ, and Mayweather is coming off a retirement.”
Dalawang beses na umatras si Mayweather sa kanilang inaayos na megafight ni Pacquiao kung saan ang huli ay nagtulak kay Bob Arum ng Top Rank Promotions na kunin si Mexican Antonio Margarito.
Nakatakda ang Pacquiao-Margarito world light middleweight championship sa Nobyembre 13 sa Cowboys Stadium sa Arlington, Texas.
“Me and Mayweather are really close, really tight. We live in Vegas together. We stay right next door to each other. But he doesn’t talk about the fight,” ani Payton sa 33-anyos na si Mayweather.
Idinagdag pa ni Payton, naging bahagi ng NBA championship ng Miami Heat noong 2006 tampok sina Dwyane Wade at Shaquille ‘O Neal, na hindi namimili ng kanyang kalaban si Mayweather.
“He don’t care about who he fights. He just fight. That’s it,” sabi ni Payton kay Mayweather na nakakasama niya sa ilang celebrity basketball activities.