👋 @mannypacquiao pic.twitter.com/lQaXwk7jW0
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) January 9, 2019
MANILA, Philippines—Things went from planned to complete serendipitous for Manny Pacquiao.
Boxing’s only eight-division World champion was a guest during the Los Angeles Clippers’ Filipino Heritage Night at Staples Center wherein he got to spend some time with the players and join in the few events the team planned for the night.
Pacquiao, however, didn’t expect to see rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. sitting courtside in the game the Clippers won 128-109 against the Charlotte Hornets.
They meet again. Only here.@mannypacquiao | @FloydMayweather | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/OQrezLim14
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) January 9, 2019
While throwing t-shirts to the crowd, Pacquiao chanced upon Mayweather and the two dapped each other up.
Pacquiao also went to the Clippers’ locker room where head coach Doc Rivers, Tobias Harris, Lou Williams, and Patrick Beverley got to meet the Filipino boxing icon.
🥊 x 🏀
🇵🇭 x #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/XRBv7nBsmI
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) January 9, 2019
Filipino-American recording artist Apl.de.ap—Allan Pineda Lindo in real life—also performed during the halftime break.
Mayweather and Pacquiao both had storied careers and the exchanged the pound-for-pound king label in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
The two eventually fought each other in 2015 with Mayweather taking a unanimous decision win.
Pacquiao is set to defend his WBA World welterweight title against Adrien Broner on Jan. 19 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
