Pacquiao back on road by February

Whether it’s Ricky Hatton or someone else, Manny Pacquiao should be back on the road by February, getting his legs going and shedding off those excess pounds for his next fight being scheduled on May 2.

“He should be back at least jogging everyday by February. Then in March it’s back to the gym. Whoever we’re fighting next we need no less than eight weeks,” said one of his Pinoy trainers, Nonoy Neri.

A fight with Hatton is so close to being sealed, and only Floyd Mayweather’s official word that he’s coming out of retirement soon can put a halt to the big showdown between the two sluggers at 140 pounds.

Mayweather has finally ordered his men to “see what’s out there” and that “if there’s something interesting he’ll consider it.”

“I think we’re there (Hatton fight). We’re just mopping up little details. My guy is on board. I think everybody is on board. I am very upbeat,” Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, told Dan Rafael of ESPN.com.

The other day Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions, which has a hold on Hatton, said that the fight is close to being sealed although the venue remains an issue – whether its England or Vegas.

Hatton wants to fight Pacquiao at the Wembley Stadium, but Arum said it’s not “economically” wise to hold the fight early in the morning (to accommodate the primetime slots in the US ) and in an open venue with “90 percent of rain.”

Arum wants the fight to be held in Vegas, either at the Thomas and Mack Center, Planet Hollywood or any of the MGM hotels.

A string of victory parties capped by his grand birthday bash in Gen. Santos City last Wednesday marked Pacquiao’s return from his eight-round annihilation of Oscar dela Hoya last Dec. 6 in Las Vegas.

And the toasting will not stop until he leaves for Los Angeles on Dec. 23 to join his pregnant wife Jinkee and their three kids for the Christmas holidays.

Pacquiao will be in Manila today and for the next three days faces a schedule even more hectic than the President’s, according to his business manager, Erik Pineda.

“We are more than fully booked for the next three days. And just to accommodate his schedule we’ll have stops of just 10 minutes for some functions. Every minute will count until he leaves for the US on Dec. 23,” said Pineda.

He said for some of the affairs that Pacquiao needs to attend, a strict “no-autographs-no-pictures” policy will have to be applied in order to save time.

“And besides, Manny said all those camera flashes, maybe a million by now, are starting to take its toll on his eyes. Sumasakit na daw ang mga mata niya. We want the people to understand,” said Pineda.

On top of Pacquiao’s schedule over the next three days is another meeting with President Arroyo, a visit to the US Embassy, a commercial shoot, a party hosted by Chavit Singson, and another quick get-away to Cebu to meet the AFP brass.