Even the political bigwigs in Washington, D.C., are aching to see Manny Pacquiao fight Floyd Mayweather.
Pacquiao dropped by Capitol Hill on Wednesday (yesterday in Manila) as part of his visit to Washington and got a warm welcome from Senate minority leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
Reid, who had also met Pacquiao in Washington when the Filipino icon went on a promotional tour for his fight with Shane Mosley in 2011, expressed his desire to see the dream fight happen on May 2 in Las Vegas.
“Let’s make it happen,” Reid wrote on his Twitter account.
Negotiations involving the camps of Pacquiao and Mayweather and their respective TV networks have stalled and last-ditch efforts are underway to save the match.
Reid was not the only guy who wished Pacquiao lunch against Mayweather, according to the Washington Post, which ran a story about the fighting congressman’s run-in with fellow lawmaker Rep. Janice Hahn of California.
Wrote Emily Heil of The Post: “The Pac-man, in town with a delegation from his home country attending the National Prayer Breakfast, dropped by a few congressional offices, including those of breakfast co-chair Rep. Janice Hahn (D-Calif.) and Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada.”
Heil added: “Spies tell us Pacquiao looked slighter than you might expect (he’s a trim 5-7) and was friendly, posing for pictures and shaking hands.”
But it was Reid, a former fighter and a close ally of Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank, who stole the show when he showed up sporting an eye patch following an injury he sustained while working out at home.
The Post likewise reported that those Pacquiao bumped into sang one tune.
“He got good-luck wishes from lawmakers (for a proposed fight with Mayweather).”
Now, can somebody please make the fight happen?