Manny puts US trip on hold

MANILA, Philippines - Freddie Roach may end up accepting two awards from the Boxing Writers Association of America Saturday evening (Sunday noon in Manila) in New York: one for himself as the 2008 Trainer of the Year and the other on behalf of Manny Pacquiao, the Fighter of the Year.

With just a couple of days left before the glittery night for boxing, the Filipino pound-for-pound champion is still undecided whether or not he’d fly to New York to personally accept during the 84th BWAA Annual Awards Dinner at the Capitale at 130 Bowery in New York.

“It was postponed. I still have so many things to finish here,” said Pacquiao in a TV interview at the airport upon arrival from Gen. Santos City.

Still, the reason remains unclear on why Pacquiao is having second thoughts on flying to the US, either direct to New York or to the Big Apple via Los Angeles where the house blessing of their new residence in a posh area has been rescheduled to his own convenience.

A lot of people are keeping their fingers crossed.

Pacquiao, just over a month after his two-round demolition of British star Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas, is busy tying up a lot of loose ends, whether it’s in business, politics or anything concerning his showbiz life as an actor, singer and television host.

Pacquiao was originally scheduled to leave for Australia last June 1 for a weeklong vacation with his family, and then should have been in LA on the seventh. His trip to New York was scheduled on the morning of the awards night, based on the old schedule.

On June 13, he also should be at the Madison Square to watch the Miguel Cotto-Josh Clottey welterweight contest. Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, is seriously looking at Cotto as Pacquiao’s next opponent.

But everything now remains sketchy as to whether Pacquiao would be there or not. It was written once that Pacquiao’s itinerary should be “written on chalk” considering how they are changed by the day or by the hour.

It’s the second time the BWAA, composed of the boxing writers in the US, is bestowing the award on the Filipino who scored three big wins in different weight classes — Juan Manuel Marquez (130), David Diaz (135) and Oscar dela Hoya (147).

. The first came in 2006 following his big wins over Erik Morales. The 2007 Fighter of the Year award went to Kelly Pavlik.

On June 12, Roach will get his third Trainer of the Year award, after 2003 and 2006.

The Fight of the Year award went to the down-to-the-wire rubber match between Israel Vasquez and Rafael Marquez.

BWAA awards winners are chosen in ballots cast by full members of the writers’ organization, which has been bestowing honors upon the sport’s best athletes, trainers and other participants since the 1930s, according to the groups’ official website.