Fit for a king

The report from Las Vegas was heartening. Manny Pacquiao isn’t sharing an ordinary room with three companions like he did before his first fight against Erik Morales last March.

Team Pacquiao marketing head Eric Pineda sent a text message the other day confirming that the three-time world boxing champion is staying in a luxury suite at the $2.7 Billion Wynn Las Vegas, a hotel and casino resort. Pacquiao deserves it. After all, he’s bringing in all those high rollers to Steve Wynn’s facility.

The royal treatment that Pacquiao’s getting, thanks to manager Shelly Finkel, is in stark contrast to the shabby accommodations his former promoter Murad Muhammad provided at the MGM Grand for the first Morales fight.

Pacquiao was supposed to stay in a suite at the MGM Grand but Muhammad took it instead and left the fighter in a room that he shared with friends. It was the height of insensitivity. Worse, no arrangements were made to block off calls and stop fans from knocking on Pacquiao’s door any hour of the day.

Someone said the night before the fight, Pacquiao got a call at midnight from a Filipino security guard in Los Angeles asking for a ticket to watch the bout.

But things are different now. Muhammad is gone. Nobody hears from him anymore. After settling Pacquiao’s case against him out of court last June, Muhammad has kept a low profile–a smart thing to do, considering all the negative publicity.

Pineda said the Pacquiao convoy of eight cars left Los Angeles at 4:30 p.m. last Monday. Edward Lura drove the lead vehicle, Pacquiao’s brand-new silver Porsche Cayenne sports utility vehicle, with Rex (Wakee) Salud in the passenger front seat. Salud’s boy Jimrex Jaca is fighting John Nolasco of the Dominican Republic in an eight-round appetizer in the Pacquiao-Morales undercard. Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee sat in the back. Right behind the Porsche was a Mercedes Benz with Rene Torres behind the wheel and passengers Pineda, his wife Macy, Pacquiao’s consultant Jayke Joson and chronicler Winchell Campos (is it true he’s writing a book on Pacquiao’s life?). Next in line was a car with trainer Freddie Roach and Rob Thomas, a police veteran who was in charge of preventing unauthorized individuals from straying into the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles while Pacquiao was in training.

Along the way, the group stopped in Barstow and ate at In And Out Burger.

The drive took longer than usual because of the late afternoon and early evening rush hour traffic.

Finkel, promoter Gary Shaw and lawyers Keith Davidson and Nicholas Khan were at the Wynn lobby to greet the Pacquiao entourage when the cars pulled up at 10 p.m. Reporters, who anxiously waited for Pacquiao’s red carpet arrival at the South Tower Valet on Sands Avenue between Koval and Las Vegas Boulevard, weren’t disappointed as the General Santos City slugger obliged them in a brief interview.

Pineda described Pacquiao’s 51st floor luxury suite as "beautiful" and "fit for a king." Before calling it a day, Pacquiao took some soup.

Before leaving Los Angeles, Pineda saw Pacquiao spar a few rounds and was thoroughly impressed.

"Manny was awesome and in tip-top shape," said Pineda. "Recah (Trinidad) commented that Manny is now a completely transformed fighter and has all the arsenal to beat Morales in eight rounds. He’s now a three-dimensional boxer. I also saw Jaca spar and he looked sharp and strong."

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Air Transportation Office cabin crew inspector and consultant Jose Mari Ojeda, who will be at ringside to cheer for Pacquiao at the Thomas and Mack Center on Saturday night (Sunday morning, Manila), predicted a knockout ending.

Ojeda knows what he’s talking about. His father used to promote boxing shows and own a stable of fighters, including former world junior welterweight champion Roberto Cruz. Ojeda used to tag along with his father in the gym and in the stadiums where smokers were held and heroes were born.

Ojeda said Pacquiao will win by a knockout in the seventh round. "If he doesn’t knock out Morales, Pacquiao will win by a split decision," he added. "If Pacquiao wins by a decisive knockout, there won’t be a clamor for a rubber match (against Morales). Either Manny goes for (Marco Antonio) Barrera or moves up to lightweight and fights (Zahir) Raheem."

Ojeda, a former Philippine Airlines purser, left Manila for Las Vegas last Tuesday.