Manny Pacquiao Wants to Meet Barack Obama, Beat Shane Mosley
By Lem Satterfield | http://boxing.fanhouse.com Top Rank Promotions is taking steps toward granting the wish of eight-division champion, Manny Pacquiao, to meet president Barack Obama, perhaps on Feb. 15 in Washington, D.C., during the final stop of a four-venue tour promoting the fighter's Showtime televised, May 7 defense of his WBO welterweight (147 pounds) belt against three-division, five-time titlist, Shane Mosley.
A 32-year-old congressman in the Sarangani Province of his native Philippines, Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 knockouts) will face the 39-year-old Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs) at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.
Top Rank CEO Bob Arum and organization publicist, Lee Samuels, told FanHouse that a press tour will begin on Thursday, Feb. 10 in Los Angeles, followed by stops in Las Vegas on Saturday, Feb. 12, New York on Monday, Feb. 14, and, Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Feb. 15.
"I know that Manny really wants to see the president. We made calls to the white house today," said Samuels on Monday. "Manny has been asking to see the president since president Obama has gotten into office."
In December of 2009, Pacquiao was named among Time Magazine's Top 25 People Who Mattered in 2009 -- listed alphabetically right behind president Obama.
Two weeks prior to earning the WBC junior middlweight (154 pounds) belt with an HBO televised, Nov. 13 unanimous decision over former titlist Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs) at Cowboys Stadium, Pacquiao attended an October rally for United States Senator Harry Reid, D-Nevada, whom he informed of his desire to meet Obama.
Obama and Pacquiao were each featured on 60 Minutes on Nov. 8 -- a mere five days prior to Pacquiao's vanquishing Margarito.
"That's another reason why he went to Harry Reid's rally last year -- because he really wants to meet president Obama and he respects him a lot," said Samuels. "We've called Harry Reid's office and we're trying to get that arranged, so we're working on the president's schedule.
The Pacquiao-Mosley fight is already a hot ticket. Barely 1,000 seats remained as of 1 p.m. in Las Vegas on Monday after nearly 16,000 tickets were sold to the MGM Grand Hotel.
"Incredible. Simply incredible. I have never promoted a fight that has sold so many tickets so quickly," said Arum. "Manny Pacquiao never ceases to amaze the world with his achievements. The excitement that he generated today with the initial ticket sales makes it feel like fight week already."
Pacquiao will be after his 14th straight win and his ninth knockout during that run against Mosley.
The Pacquiao-Mosley fight is already a hot ticket. Barely 1,000 seats remained as of 1 p.m. in Las Vegas on Monday after nearly 16,000 tickets were sold to the MGM Grand Hotel.
"Incredible. Simply incredible. I have never promoted a fight that has sold so many tickets so quickly," said Arum. "Manny Pacquiao never ceases to amaze the world with his achievements. The excitement that he generated today with the initial ticket sales makes it feel like fight week already."
Pacquiao will be after his 14th straight win and his ninth knockout during that run against Mosley.
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