MANNY Pacquiao will be making his PBA debut on Sunday, after all.
Getting a pass from Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, the eight-division world boxing champion will be coaching—and suiting up—for KIA Motors when the Sorento battle Blackwater Elite in the first of two games ushering the league’s 40th Season at Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
Eric Pineda, Pacquiao’s business manager, made this confirmation yesterday guaranteeing that the more than 40,000 opening-day fans will catch a glimpse of the boxing icon on the hardcourt.
Pacquiao, according to Pineda, will still do some sparring in General Santos today and will fly to Manila tomorrow morning. From the airport, Pacquiao will head straight to Bulacan, where he hopes to lead KIA to its maiden PBA victory.
Incidentally, Jinkee Pacquiao, Manny’s wife, will come in a day earlier. She will be the muse of the Sorento during the lavish opening ceremonies set to start at 1 p.m.
Pacquiao is deep in training for a Nov. 23 fight against Chris Algieri and Roach had said in an earlier report that he would be forbidding Manny from playing basketball, at least until after the fight that will take place in Macau.
But Roach eventually relented to Pacquiao’s desire to give in to the clamor of his fans.
Meanwhile, crowd-darling Barangay Ginebra and Talk ‘N Text clash in the other game slated at 5 p.m.