Friday, 20 November 2009

Pacquiao returns home a hero

CNN


Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee are surrounded by crowds on his return home.

Manny Pacquiao returned home to a hero's welcome in his native Philippines on Friday after wresting the WBO welterweight title from Miguel Cotto on a 12th round technical knockout in Las Vegas.

'Pacman' has a fanatical following in the Philippines which has been further enhanced by his record breaking victory as he claimed his sixth world title at a different weight by beating Cotto on Saturday night.

"Welcome home, the world's bext boxer of all time," read a banner as thousands of fans greeted the 30-year-old.

Following his hard-fought victory over Puerto Rican Cotto, all the talk is of a cash-rich superfight with American Floyd Mayweather Jr. next year.

Leading promoter Bob Arum said he is ready to put the pay-per-view extravaganza at the 147-pound welterweight class, with Las Vegas the preferred venue.

Pacquiao played down the possibility as he talked to reporters on his return.

"We are not forcing a fight with him. It is right that he is the one challenging me, because my fights score more on pay-per-view," he said.

Pacquiao has greatly enhanced his reputation with successive wins over Oscar de la Hoya, Britain's Ricky Hatton and Cotto.

Mayweather returned to the ring with a comfortable win over Juan Manuel Marquez and has the reputation for grossing massive receipts from his pay-per-view appearances.

For the moment, Pacquiao will spend time at home with his wife, Jinkee, and three children and is also set to pursue his ambition to enter Filippino politics, standing for a congressional seat in his home island of Mindanao.

Source: edition.cnn.com




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