MACAU — As promised by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenneger flew into this gambling enclave to watch Manny Pacquiao fight at the Cotai Arena.
Stallone, who starred in Rocky and Rambo and Schwarzenneger, famous for being The Terminator, even dropped by the dressing room of Pacquiao as his hands were about to be taped and wrapped.
Stallone first saw Pacquiao live when the Filipino stopped Emmanuel Lucero of Mexico at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles in July 2003.
So thrilled was Schwarzenneger, a former Mr. Universe and California governor that he even asked somebody to take his picture with the boxing star.
After seeing Pacquiao, the two movie stars went to their respective ringside seats and flanked The Venetian big boss Ed Tracey.
Pacquiao has become so popular through the years that even Hollywood’s elite has visited the Wild Card Boxing Club just to see him train.
Not only is Pacquiao a big hit among showbiz bigwigs but he also has a huge fanbase among fellow sporting heroes and political hotshots.
In 2011, Pacquiao visited the White House and met President Barack Obama and had also met ex-President Bill Clinton two times and presidential candidate Mitt Romney. (Nick Giongco)