MANNY Pacquiao took time out from his training camp at the Wild Card gym in Los Angeles for a personal appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on the eve of Thanksgiving Day.
And what a time for the Filipino boxing superstar to unwind from a frantic schedule as he prepares for his Dec. 8 showdown against long-time Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez.
The 33-year-old Pacquiao’s seventh appearance in the late-night show proved to be the most entertaining of all, topped by a spoof of the award-winning HBO 24/7 series that features cameo appearances by trainer Freddie Roach, Top Rank Promotions’ chairman Bob Arum, Pacquiao adviser Michael Konz, and Bernardo Osuna of ESPN.
Kimmel, a self-confessed Pacquiao fan, started off the show by reminding the eight-division world champion about his confession in the show five months ago on how he had given up on gambling and womanizing after he turned to bible reading and renewed his faith with God.
At the time, the Congressman from the province of Sarangani, was set to fight unbeaten American Timothy Bradley in a 12-round title bout.
“The last time that you were here, you announced that you had quit drinking, and quit gambling, and that you had quit cock fighting, and then, for the first time in seven years, you did not win," said Kimmel that brought the house down and left the boxing champion, garbed in jeans and blue jacket, laughing out loud.
Pacquiao later lost to Bradley in a stunning 12-round split decision to yield his World Boxing Organization welterweight title.
"You lost the fight. I don't think you lost the fight, but, technically, they said you lost the fight. Will you go back to drinking, gambling, and cock fighting?" Kimmel followed up, getting more laughter from the audience.
But the highlight of the show was the HBO 24/7 series lampoon where Pacquiao was shown being avoided thrice for a possible fight by regular cast member, the overweight Guillermo Rodriguez.
In all three fights, Marquez was made to fill in for Rodriguez.
“I fill in for Guillermo every time he misses a fight," said Marquez, in subtitled translation. "I'm kind of like his understudy."
Below is the link on Pacquiao’s latest guesting on Jimmy Kimmel Live that lasted for about 10 minutes and which he referred on Twitter as `his favorite day of every training camp’ - having guested on the show since his 2009 fight with Miguel Cotto.
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