Fans greet Pacquiao in LA airport

MANILA, Philippines – Fans swarmed around “People’s Champ” Manny Pacquiao when he arrived at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Sunday night (Monday in Manila).

But Pacquiao’s fans were not able to get close to him as the seven-division champion was whisked away from the scene, according to Ed de la Vega of PhilBoxing.com.

Members of the press also crowded the airport to cover the arrival of the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter. Pacquiao arrived aboard a Philippine Airlines flight.

According to the de la Vega, the crowd that welcomed Pacquiao on Sunday “was one of the biggest.”

Bob Arum of Top Rank Promotions told Ronnie Nathanielsz that Pacquiao said he “slept very well on the plane and he’s very relaxed.”

Pacquiao is set to train at Freddie Roach’s Wildcard Gym in Hollywood for his March 13 fight against Ghana’s Joshua Clottey at the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

He will defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against his Ghanaian foe who is a former International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight titleholder.

Arum added, “Manny will start training first thing on Thursday morning because this fight is not going to be easy.”

He noted that Roach and conditioning coach Alex Ariza said “they are going to work him (Pacquiao) hard and he’ll be fine.”

Before he gets down to business, the Filipino boxing superstar will attend the press conferences scheduled this week in Dallas and New York.

He is also slated to hold a fundraiser for fellow Filipino fighter Z Gorres, who suffered a brain injury in November.

Gorres has been discharged from the University Medical Center (UMC) in Nevada after undergoing 2 major surgeries.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com