Game of darts welcome Pacman in London

Pacman in London Photo by Chris Farina/TopRank

FIRST order of the day for Manny Pacquiao upon arriving in London was to play a series of darts games.

“I just want to sharpen up a little,” said the Filipino boxing champion as he takes some leisure time in his posh hotel suite at Park Lane, just a few meters away from Buckingham Palace.

Pacquiao arrived in the English capital Friday evening (Saturday morning Manila time) for the promotional tour of his 12-round title fight with Englishman Ricky Hatton billed as `The East vs. The West.’

The group that includes legal counsel Jing Gacal, close adviser Michael Konz and Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez hooked up with trainer Freddie Roach and Top Rank Promotions chairman Bob Arum in London following a long hour flight from Manila via Cathay Pacific, with a brief stop over in Hong Kong.

After a quiet dinner of stake and hot tea at London’s West End, the 30-year- old southpaw from General Santos City headed straight to his hotel suite and spent a few hours playing darts.

Pacquiao’s first ever trip to London will be quick and hectic.

On Saturday afternoon (UK time), Pacquiao, Roach and the rest of their team will head north from London’s Euston Station to Manchester’s Piccadilly Station, after which a noontime fan rally tales place at the Trafford Centre.

Considered an icon in Manchester, Hatton is expected to be cheered by thousands of his English fans as he faces what perhaps is his biggest fight since meeting Floyd Mayweather Jr in a 12-round title bout in Las Vegas two years ago.

As part of their promotional tour, Pacquiao and Hatton will engage in a friendly darts game at a Manchester Pub. Like the Filipino warrior, the `Hitman’ is also a mean dart player, spending hours playing alongside 13-time world champion Phil `The Power’ Taylor.

Then on Monday, a press conference will be held at the Imperial War Museum before Pacquiao returns to the US for a similar promo tour in the cities of New York, Las Vegas and San Francisco.

By the first week of March, the first Asian and Filipino boxer to win titles in four different weight divisions will report to the Wild Card gym in Los Angeles for the start of a rigorous eight-week training for his first major fight in 2009. -Philippine Boxing News