Manny Pacquiao ends a busy day by saying ‘Lines are open 24/7′ for Mayweather to call
The life of a boxer promoting a pay-per-view card isn't always that easy, as Manny Pacquiao learned during a trip to New York on Wednesday.
On Thursday, Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley will meet the media in New York to formally announce their April 12 bout for Bradley's WBO welterweight title at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas. The pair held a kickoff news conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday and then flew to New York to promote the show.
Pacquiao was hustled all over town in an attempt to drum up interest in his rematch with Bradley. He went to the offices of Sports Illustrated and the Associated Press, where he sat for a series of interviews. Then, he did a guest spot with Keith Olbermann on ESPN.
Olbermann asked the question that Pacquiao is asked virtually every day of his life: Will he fight Floyd Mayweather?
I want the fight, but it is up to him. What I can say now is that our line is open, 24 hours, seven days a week. If he will call and say yes, then the fight will be on.
He had a slew of other appearances in town on his schedule, and then wound up at Madison Square Garden to watch the New York Knicks play the Portland Trail Blazers. Pacquiao is an avid NBA fan and went to the Knicks' locker room after the game to greet some of the players.
It was an exhausting day, but it's the kind of effort that is necessary these days to sell a pay-per-view boxing match. Pacquiao isn't the most colorful speaker, but few work as hard as he does at selling a show.
If he gets past Bradley – and that's a major if – hopefully his next bout will be against Mayweather.
Just don't count on it.
