Manny Pacquiao May Delay Return to Philippines Amid Swine Flu Fears

Manny Pacquiao is the best boxer in the world and the most popular man in the Philippines, but the country's health secretary has a simple request for him after his second-round knockout win over Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas Saturday night: Don't come home.

Concerns about the swine flu have the Philippines asking anyone who has traveled to the United States and other countries that have been hit not to return just yet.

The BBC reports that Philippine Health Secretary Francisco Duque wants Pacquiao and his entourage to stay in the United States and impose a quarantine on themselves for five says, which is how long it takes swine flu symptoms to appear. If they haven't gotten sick by Tuesday, they can return to the Philippines.

Pacquiao told reporters in the Philippines that he hasn't decided how long he'll stay in the U.S., but if he does stay until next week, that means Pacquiao won't be there for Friday's national day of celebration in his honor.

There have been no confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus in the Philippines.