Manny Pacquiao To Receive Boxer of the Decade Award in New York

WBO welterweight champion and congressman-elect Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines will set out Tuesday for a business and pleasure trip to the United States.

The Filipino boxing champion will head to Los Angeles from the Philippines with his wife, Jinkee, his children, and a small entourage. The couple owns a house in Los Angeles, where they are expected to stay before flying to New York to receive the "Boxer of the Decade" award from the prestigious Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA).

The newly elected congressman will meet with his promoter Bob Arum in New York, where they are scheduled to watch the Cotto-Foreman fight at Yankee Stadium on June 5.

Boxing fans from around the world are anticipating a public statement by Arum on the developments of his negotiations with Golden Boy Promotions for Pacquiao's highly anticipated match against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in November.

Arum and Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, representing Mayweather, have been silently working to push for a Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown. Both camps refused to divulge the progress of the current negotiations.

While both Arum and Schaefer remained mum about the matter, differences on the drug testing protocol and split on the fight purse are reportedly two of the major issues that have impeded the talks.

“If the Mayweather deal isn’t made, Pacquiao might fight Miguel Cotto, if Cotto beats (Yuri) Foreman for the 145-pound title," said Arum.

But Larry Merchant, a popular HBO boxing analyst, was more optimistic Sunday in the Boxing Truth radio program when asked about the Mayweather-Pacquiao match.

"Yes, I do believe it is going to happen in November," Merchant said. "What exclusively I have heard, I cannot reveal entirely, but I think most of the issues have been resolved. It does not mean they won't find something else."

Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, will share center stage with the Filipino boxer at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York on June 4 to receive his own "Trainer of the Year" award for the fourth time.

Pacquiao will be sworn into office as congressman of the lone district of Sarangani, Philippines, on June 30, 2010, after winning over his opponent by a wide margin.