HOLLYWOOD – So what’s inside the pockets of a multi-billionaire and superstar athlete like Manny Pacquiao?
Other than a small amount of cash, pens of different kinds – lots of it in fact – are carried on a regular basis by the boxing great, not exactly on purpose.
The 35-year-old veteran fighter, who crowned himself as the new World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion on Saturday (Sunday, Manila time), said the pens are usually left behind by autograph seekers.
“Mga naiiwan ito ng mga fans,” he said, juggling several pens he fished out of his front pocket while inside the customized Manny Pacquiao bus that took him and his team from Las Vegas to Los Angeles late Sunday night, a day following his victory over Bradley.
“Kadalasan hindi na binabalikan kapag nakapag-papirma na.”
As if on cue, passengers of the bus began lining up in front of Pacquiao and asked for an autograph on anything he can sign on, ranging from posters, souvenir program, t-shirts, cell phones, and even lap tops.
The boxing great likewise gamely posed for photo ops to while away the time as the bus, which also had for passengers Pacquiao’s mother Dionisia and father Rosalio, took about six hours on its way back to California.
During the hour-long stopover at Barstow, California, Pacquiao treated his group to a free meal, and then willingly obliged for more photo ops and autograph signing.
This time, no pens were left behind.
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