INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Pacquiao - Manny Pacquiao is going to New York to receive his Fighter of the Year award, after all.

The world’s pound-for-pound king, who initially thought of skipping the 84th Boxing Writers Association of America awards night on Friday (Tuesday in Manila) to spend time with his family, finally decided Wednesday night in Cebu City to attend the affair where his trainer, Freddie Roach, will also be honored.

Pacquiao, accompanied by wife Jinkee, lawyer Jeng Gacal and Mike Koncz will leave for New York via Tokyo on a Northwest Airlines flight at 8 a.m. Friday.

“It was a concerted effort,” said international promoter Wakee Salud, one of Pacquiao’s confidants.

“Bob Arum (Manny’s promoter) called to persuade him and Jinkee urged him to go. His other friends and advisers like Chavit (Singson) and Hermie (Esguerra) also told him to go,” Salud said.

After the awards night, Pacquiao hopes to provide moral support for compatriot Rolando Mayol (25-3-0 with 19 KOs), who is eyeing the WBO light flyweight belt of unbeaten Ivan Calderon (32-0 with 6 KOs), in the undercard of the Miguel Cotto-Joshua Clottey clash for the WBO welterweight crown on Saturday.