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Pacquiao's Star Shines Brightest

11/11/2009 9:18 PM ET By Lem Satterfield

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    • Lem Satterfield
    • Lem Satterfield is FanHouse's Boxing Writer and Editor.
LAS VEGAS -- Wednesday's press conference at the MGM Grand for Miguel Cotto's WBO title defense against Manny Pacquiao on Saturday night began as an evenly-matched promotion.

Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman, flanked by the fighters, handed each of them a key to the city.

But when the WBC representative, Mauricio Sulaiman, produced a championship belt adorned with some 60 or more diamond studs -- one he said his organization "unanimously voted to bestow upon the fight's winner" -- the atmosphere and the energy of the afternoon swiftly and dramatically turned in Pacquiao's favor.

A smiling Pacquiao swiftly and playfully snatched the WBC's belt from Sulaiman's hand.

And he held on to it.


Pacquiao sat down at his place at the long, black table. His move appeared to, symbolically at least, trump the belt of Cotto's, which lay before the champion.

With that, the fighter nicknamed "The Pride of The Philippines" had effectively stolen the show.

"Psychologically," said Top Rank president Bob Arum, the fight's promoter, "Miguel Cotto can attest that he's not the star of the show."

Although it is Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) who will defend his welterweight (147 pounds) crown against Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs), the Puerto Rican champion mostly cradled his chin in his hand, appearing to be but a backdrop to the drama that unfolded even as he seemed indifferent to it.

Cotto posed with Pacquiao for photos, standing face-to-face and then back-to-back.

There was no apparent animosity between them.

"I am here to do my work. I am not an artist. I am just a boxer," said Cotto, who will fight Pacquiao at a catch-weight of 145 pounds. "I have to be focused on the things I am going to do on Nov. 14, and that is the reason that I am here."

Behind Pacquiao was a further reminder of his celebrity: a picture of him on the cover of Time. Arum complimented the feature on Pacquiao, whom he called "a Filipino icon," and was enthused about another in a recent edition of the New York Times.

"This is the biggest media turnout since 1999, when we had Oscar De La Hoya against Felix Trinidad. I believe there will be 180 members on the floor, and there will be another 100 in the arena, and those are maximums. The rest will be somewhere in the press room," said Lee Samuels, public relations director for Top Rank.

"In boxing, after two or three years, or even 30 years from now, people won't forget my name."
-- Manny Pacquiao "The Puerto Rican papers always cover the Cotto fights, but there has been an avalanche of reporting with Pacquiao," said Samuels. "Since he's beaten De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao has really crossed over as a superstar. Manny is the driver now in Las Vegas the way Oscar used to be."

On stage, Pacquiao wore a simple buttoned down, pinstriped shirt and blue jeans, but right down to the golden pen -- which he used to scribble down notes for his speech -- he stood out.

To Pacqauio's right sat a Philippines governor, and the country's vice president will reportedly be among his Filipino followers at the MGM's sold out 17,500-seat arena on Saturday night.

But Pacquiao is much more than a fighter to the Philippines, having assisted with disaster relief in Manila and other areas during two recent typhoons. He's been a humanitarian and a crossover celebrity.

Pacquiao has filmed a movie, Wapak Man, been photographed in ESPN's The Body Issue, and made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, singing with the show's band.

And on Saturday night, he'll try to make history by becoming the first man to win a seventh title in a different weight class.

"It is important to me. It's a big honor to my countrymen and to myself," said Pacquiao, in an understated tone that further endears him to his fans. "In boxing, after two or three years, or even 30 years from now, people won't forget my name."

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