‘Undertaker’ leads Manny entourage

Don’t be surprised if you’d see "The Undertaker," one of the world’s biggest names in professional wrestling, alongside Manny Pacquiao at the Staples Center on Sept. 10.

The wrestler with the eerie and disturbing presence on the ring has reportedly agreed to make a special appearance when Pacquiao fights Mexico’s Hector Velasquez.

A certified 300-pounder known for his "choke slam and tombstone" moves, "The Undertaker" will lead Pacquiao out of his dressing room carrying the American flag.

Pacquiao and his entourage, according to initial plans, won’t be too far behind "The Undertaker," known in the real word as Mark Calloway, as they head to the ring.

Team Pacquiao has yet to announce who will carry the Philippine flag although for a moment, at least, eyes will surely be glued on the wrestler who’s gone undefeated in 13 "WrestleManias."

Pacquiao has logged in 61 rounds of sparring and, despite some words of caution from friends back home, is reportedly planning to spar as many as a hundred rounds.

According to those near him, Pacquiao is taking the 12-round, non-title fight set at the Staples Center as seriously as his classic battle with Erik Morales in Las Vegas last March.

Apparently, Pacquiao is pushing himself to the limit, on the road and in the gym, prompting his handlers to tell the Gen. Santos City native to "take it easy."

Even Atty. Rudy Salud, a boxing expert, told The STAR the other day that Pacquiao can’t afford to suffer from "burnout" in his bid to fall in tip-top shape for the coming fight.

He’s been training at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood since Aug. 8, alternating road work with gym work under American champion trainer Freddie Roach and ex-heavyweight Justin Fortune.

Pacquiao has reserved Aug. 31 (Wednesday in Manila) for his "media workout" and is planning to hold his final sparring session on Sept. 5 or five days before the fight.

Morales will also fight on the eve of the infamous "9/11 Attack" and, if plans push through, should be in for a great rematch with Pacquiao probably early next year.

A US-based Filipino said this early, billboards are already up at the Staples Center in announcing the fight dubbed "Double Trouble."

The media center, set up at the Wilshire Grand Hotel’s Golden State Room, will be open to credentialed media on Sept. 8 at 10 a.m. in time for the final presscon.

The official weigh-in is scheduled at 3 p.m. of Sept. 9 at the Star Plaza located just outside Staples Center. In a bid to further drum up the event, it will be open to the public.

Pacquiao and Velasquez are scheduled to climb the ring at 7 p.m. (shortly before noon in Manila). Whether or not the fight goes the distance, Morales takes over at 8 p.m.

The post-fight press conference will take place after the final bout of evening at the Chick Hearn room of the Staples Center. As hoped, a Pacquiao-Morales rematch should be tackled right there.