Manny arrives sans fanfare

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao flies home today from Los Angeles without the usual frills and excitement that have marked his previous returns, more than a week after his highly debatable win over Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas.

The reigning WBO welterweight champion will arrive at the break of dawn, together with his wife, Jinkee, and some close friends, on board a Philippine Airlines jumbo jet.

According to Pacquiao’s business manager, Eric Pineda, the 32-year-old boxer will be brought straight to the Midas Hotel in Pasay City, his official home until the next day or two.

Huge tarpaulins bearing Pacquiao’s image are already in place in the walls outside the hotel. Along Roxas Blvd, streamers with congratulatory messages will greet Pacquiao.

After a brief rest at the hotel, the fighting congressman from Sarangani will hear mass at the Quiapo Church. There will be no motorcade, no parade, according to Pineda.

The customary visit to Malacañang has yet to be confirmed because President Aquino has another special guest, South Korean president Lee Myung-bak who’s on a state visit.

“The meeting with President Aquino is hanging depending on the schedule of the President. It could take place tomorrow or the next day. But it’s been lined up,” said Pineda.

Pacquiao held on to his WBO welterweight crown after defeating Marquez via majority decision at the MGM Grand, before more than 16,000 fans that were divided by the result.

Mexican fans booed after ring announcer Michael Buffer declared Pacquiao as the winner. They felt that Marquez had the better end of the fight that lasted the whole 12 rounds.

It was an action-packed, and in the end, the judges had Pacquiao winning. Yes, Marquez landed clear, solid blows, but the official punch stats had Pacquiao throwing and landing more.

Pacquiao was clearly the aggressor, and in a close fight, the aggressor, in this case Pacquiao, who also happened to be the defending champion, earns the nod of the judges.

Marquez, some ring experts agree, fought a clever fight, a great fight, but did not do enough to take the title away from Pacquiao. He fought defensively in the last few rounds.

And that proved to be a big mistake, especially in the eyes of the judges.

“It was very clear that I won the fight. He always waited for me to create the action and then he will counter,” said Pacquiao of the great counterpuncher from Mexico.

“Of course, the Mexican fans feel bad because it was a close fight,” he added.

“There was no robbery. Marquez fought a great fight but he should have gone for the knockout. Maybe he forgot that he was the challenger,” said a Mexican associated with a great fighter.

Pacquiao was demoted to No. 2 in the pound-for-pound rankings of Sports Illustrated, ESPN and Yahoo! Sports, behind Floyd Mayweather. Ring Magazine still recognizes Pacquiao as the P4P king.

Pacquiao will spend a few days in Manila before he flies home to Sarangani.

Freddie Roach spoke to www.ringtv.com yesterday regarding Pacquiao’s immediate plans, and said whatever is up next for Pacquiao will be taken up after the holidays.

“I talked to Manny last night, and I said, ‘Well, what do you want to do next?’ And he said, ‘Well, Freddie, Christmas is coming up, my birthday is coming up (Dec.17),” Roach told www.ringtv.com.

“He said, “I want to enjoy my family and then we’ll come back and we’ll take a look at things and then we’ll make a decision after the holidays.”

It could be the super fight with Mayweather or a fourth fight with Marquez or against anybody else seeking a million-dollar date with the Filipino champ.

For the meantime, let Pacquiao enjoy himself and his family, and savor the victory, tainted or otherwise.