Manny Pacquiao on the cover of TIME Magazine.

Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao graces this month edition of Time Magazine Asia.  He now joins the elite group of Muhammad Ali,  Joe Frazier,  Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson and Max Schmeling among the great boxers who were featured on the cover of this prestigious magazine. He is also the second Filipino to grace Time Magazine’s cover, the late President Corazon Aquino was the first.

Manny Pacquiao will face Miguel Cotto on November 14, 2009 at the MGM Grand Arena. If he wins, he will become the first boxer to win seven titles in different weight classes.

Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton invades Hollywood!!

Los Angeles, CA - People lining up the street as early as 4:00pm, red carpet rolled down the street of Hollywood blvd. at the Roosevelt Hotel, and we are not talking about the latest Movie Premiere in Los Angeles. This is the site for the Media Day of the much anticipated match between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton to be held at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 2, 2009.

The night began with the arrival of Hollywood and Boxing celebrities including actor Mark Wahlberg and Mickey Rourke, Cary Hiroyuki- Tagawa. The event was filled with great food, sweets and drinks provided by Rockstar and Tecate. The two fighters took time to talk to the media and each gave their own opinion about the upcoming bout. Hatton, sporting a black cordoroy army style jacket, pointed out that it will be an exceptional fight and will make his nation proud. While Pacquiao, dressed sleek in his black suit with pink and white stripes, appeared more relaxed and joking around with his statements.

“I fight for freedom. I fight for Scotland,” Pacquaio said in a deep voice, mimicking Mel Gibson’s character in “Braveheart.” He then mentioned that no one knows who will win this fight, only God Knows. The highlight of the night did not come from the fighters but rather from their trainers. Floyd Mayweather Sr., was rhyming and dissing Pacquiao’s trainer;

“Freddie Roach: “Pacquaio’s going to go from first class to coach, because of the Roach.” Afterward, a loud chant of Manny,Manny followed.

As expected, Freddie Roach answered back in a quiet Freddie’s style, and just said that his fighter will be victorious in the end. At the end of the night, the winner here is Boxing itself, hopefully this will be a start to bring back the glory days of Boxing..

(Here are the images taken by Ping of BeseenInhollywood.com)

BeSeeninhollywood.com would like to thank the Roosevelt hotel, Monica Sears and Lisa of Golden Boy Promotions, MP Promotions, Top Rank Promotions, Tecate and Rockstar Drinks, HBO, MGM Grand, GMA-7, ABS-CBN. The Battle of the East and West will be available also on HBO Pay Per view on May 02, 2009.