Pacquio And Entourage Arrive In Texas

9:16 PM // 0 comments // Ian Purugganan // Category: Margarito , Pacquiao //

Manny Pacquiao set foot on the site of one of his most dominant performances ever after arriving in Texas Monday night for his 12-round title fight with Antonio Margarito of Mexico Saturday at the elegant Cowboys Stadium.

An entourage numbering 188 accompanied Pacquiao in a three-hour flight from Los Angeles to the Lone Star state here aboard a chartered Boeing 757 courtesy of the Miami Airline International.

Pacquiao was also at the home of the Dallas Cowboys and Mavericks eight months ago when he convincingly defeated Ghanaian Joshua Clottey to retain his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title belt before a record crowd of 50,994.

The 31-year-old superstar dominated Clottey in the entire 12-round bout, throwing punches totaling 1,231, landing 246 of them.

But the same can’t be expected of the 32-year-old Margarito, who at 5-foot-11, will be the biggest and strongest opponent the Filipino southpaw will ever face in the ring in his quest for an eighth world title in eight different weight classes.

Yet, Pacquiao said he’s ready at whatever the Mexcian, dubbed the ‘Tijuana Tornado’, will bring in the ring for the World Boxing Council (WBC) super-welterweight championship.

“Let’s get this on,” he said, smiling. “One hundred percent na tayong ready at hinihintay na lang natin ‘yung araw ng laban.”

The world’ top pound-for-pound fighter also has great respect for Margarito, never mind if he was once caught with loaded handwraps, an offense that led to the revocation of his license and a one-year suspension from the ring.

“Magandang laban ito dahil gusto ko ‘yung style nya. He is always coming forward. Aggressive fighter who is always throwing punches,” said Pacquiao of his towering opponent who sports a 38-6 record, with 27 knockouts.

And so leaving nothing to chance, the Filipino congressman had to work hard on his final day at training camp at the Wild Card gym, going four rounds of sparring with old hand David Rodela Monday.

He then hit the speed bag, double end and skipped ropes before being told to finally call off the two-hour training session as his entourage is about to leave for Dallas later.

Pacquiao actually began the day running in the mountains of Griffth Park despite the slight morning drizzle.

Later in the afternoon, it’s off to the Los Angeles International Airport for the three-hour plane ride to Texas, where Margarito had already been waiting as early as Sunday.

Wearing a black trench coat over a cream polo and jeans, Pacquiao was the last to arrive in the airport together with lovely wife Jinkee and sat in the business class of the plane where he was joined by his mother Dionisia, trainer Freddie Roach, physical and strength conditioning coach Alex Ariza, Wild Card stablemates Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and reigning World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight champion Amir Khan.

Arriving at the Dallas/Fortworth airport at around 10 p.m., Pacquiao and his immediate family was whisked right away in a black Navigator and drove off to the Gaylord Texan Hotel & Convention Center, where his entourage is billeted together with those of Margarito.

Pacquiao starts his first day in Texas by doing track work at the Grapevine High School and then will have an open public workout in the afternoon at the Longhorn exhibit of the Gaylor Hotel, preceding Margarito himself.