Manny Pacquiao Holds Media Workout at Hollywood's Wild Card

(Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Manny Pacquiao holds media workout at Hollywood's Wild Card.

In the past few years the tiny Hollywood shopping mall at the intersection of Hollywood and Vine has changed.

The ancient washers and dryers at the laundromat directly under Freddy Roach's Wild Card Gym still hum away. Nor have the bundant signs of poverty in the neighborhood that surround the Wild Card disappeared.  Still, this tiny shopping center on Hollywood and Highland has found a new source of fame and fortune.

The humble shops from the massage and nail place to Nat's Thai Food restaurant which all share the lot with the Wild Card Gym are covered in images of Hollywood's brightest new star: Manny Pacquiao.

The shopping center has embraced their adopted son and the legion of boxing fans and Filipino tourists that make the area an obligatory stop on any trip to Hollywood.

In the aforementioned Nat's Thai Food restaurant, Manny Pacquiao is everywhere. There are images of him on the walls and even a photo of him in the kitchen, _in the kitchen_. Posters of Pacquiao's dart tournament and Pacquiao's film career are plastered on every window like they are on all the neighbouring shops.

What does the champ order? "Salmon, the Salmon, and the Beef Soup." The staff tells me. One has time to ponder menu options and other frivolities when Manny Pacquiao,
the man of the hour shows up an hour late to his own media workout.

Members of the Manny entourage where more prompt. Trainer Freddy Roach and promoter Bob Arum where there to answer the medias questions in the hour or so before Manny Pacquiao arrived. If your Tagalog was sharp enough Beboy (Manny's lifelong friend) and Bobby Pacquiao were there to talk frankly about all topics.

Manny's good nature and humor are present from the moment he arrives. He stops to take photos in the parking lot with fans and his smile is always present. He makes himself available to every camera.

He even playfully kicks chief assistant trainer Micheal Moorer. Manny's charm forces everyone to smile even on the saddest day of the year: tax day.

For the hundred or so members of the media and entourage the air in the wild card, always stagnant became nearly unbearable but, somehow Manny's goodwill puts everyone at ease. When Manny enters the ring and the cameras start flashing, he shows a quickness of punches and shortness of words.

What round would he knock out Hatton? "Only God knows that but, if there is a knockout I will take it." Manny responds with a smile.

Luckily Freddy Roach was there and told thefightcoutdown.com that two days earlier he had taken Pacquiao into the deep end of training. Manny had trained 17 rounds straight without a moments rest.

Manny looked as if he could of gone 17 more rounds today as Freddy Roach got in the ring and worked the mitts with Pacquiao for several rounds. Manny's punches sizzled off the mitts. The speed of his punches beat the flash bulbs of the dozens of cameras pointed at him.

There is no doubt Manny Pacquiao will be faster than Ricky Hatton during their "Battle of East and West" on May 2 and one has to wonder if he would not be faster than Floyd Mayweather Jr. If the two should ever meet in the ring.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?