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WBC INTERNATIONAL superfeatherweight champion Manny
Pacquiao was given a fitting heroes welcome by his native hometown
General Santos City upon arrival on Wednesday.
But unlike the festivities in
Manila, the peoples’ champion this time was freed by the funfare
from local politicians, who did not join the scheduled victory
motorcade around the city.
Pacquiao arrived in General
Santos about 8:45 a.m. onboard a Philippine Airline plane and only
his wife Jinky, mother Dionisia, father Rosalio and brother Rogel
were in the float that carried them around the major thoroughfares.
Reports said that he also spoke
briefly with electoral rival South Cotabato Rep. Darlene
Antonino-Custodio and other local officials at the airport’s VIP
lounge but none of them joined Pacquiao in the prepared float.
Instead, some 300 tricycles were
at the airport to join with the Filipino boxing icon in the parade,
which was accompanied by a 1,200-vehicle convoy composed of friends,
well-wishers and supporters.
The 28-year-old Pacquiao
successfully demolished WBC super featherweight No. 2 challenger
Jorge Solis via an 8th round knockout on Sunday (Manila time) at the
Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Meanwhile, the celebrated trainer
Freddie Roach and his assistant Justin Fortune have parted ways
following a disagreement over who will keep the 10-percent share
from the $2-million purse received by Pacquiao during the fight.
A reliable source said the
disagreement started when the check representing the 10-percent
share percentage for the trainer was given under the name of Fortune
and not of Roach, who was in Puerto Rico during the training of
Pacquiao.
An insider close to the Filipino
boxing great revealed that Roach called up Pacquiao several times
regarding the contentious check, however, there was no clear mention
as to who will finally get the trainer’s share.
The American trainer Roach, owner
of the famous Wild Card gym in Los Angeles, California, used to get
the 10-percent share of Pacquiao’s fight purses in previous
fights, but he was not around during the preparations against Solis
because he was hired by Oscar de la Hoya in the latters fight
against Floyd Mayweather on May 5.
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