by Nick Giongco
Al Haymon, the low-profile but highly-influential boxing promoter, is rolling out the red carpet for Filipino ring legend Manny Pacquiao.
Haymon, whose Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) stages Pacquiao’s World Boxing Association welterweight war with Keith Thurman on July 20 in Las Vegas, has reserved the Gotham Hall in downtown New York City as site of the kickoff press conference on Tuesday.
Pacquiao will be travelling to the US for a whirlwind promotional tour that will cover New York City and Los Angeles.
A photo and video shoot is set on Monday in a New York studio as Pacquiao and his party are set to land at JFK International shortly before midnight of Sunday from Manila.
After the NYC presser, Pacquiao will head to Los Angeles for a similar meetup with Thurman and the West Coast media at the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel.
Then, later in the evening, the 40-year-old fighting senator will catch the Philippine Airlines flight that will touch down in Manila early-Friday.
Haymon, who hardly attends social gatherings and even big-time fights starring his array of talent, has under contract the world’s leading 147-pounders.
Aside from Pacquiao and Thurman, Haymon’s PBC also has Shawn Porter, Errol Spence and even Floyd Mayweather.
If victorious, it is likely that Pacquiao will face the survivor of a proposed unification duel between Spence and Porter.
Sean Gibbons, who handles Pacquiao’s affairs, is already in the US getting ready for Team Pacquiao’s arrival.
In New York, Pacquiao will reside at the Mondrian Park Avenue while it’ll be The Beverly Hills for him during his overnight stay in Hollywood.
