MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley won’t have to shovel their way through the press tour.
The fight promoter, Bob Arum, said the weather is improving, following an epic winter storm that affected more than a third of the United States, and should continue improve in time for the press tour that begins Feb. 10.
“The storm has ended and the weather should start getting warmer by tomorrow. There’s no need to bring your shovels,” Arum told The STAR in a phone interview yesterday morning.
Arum said the weather in Dallas, where the snow and bitter cold are threatening to disrupt Monday’s Super Bowl, is improving. From 20 degrees Fahrenheit, he said it should be in the 50s by tomorrow.
On Wednesday evening, Pacquiao flies to Los Angeles where the press tour starts the following day. Then he takes a private plane to Las Vegas on Feb. 12, a commercial plane to New York for a Feb. 14 gig, and a special train to Washington on Feb. 15.
After the tour, both fighters head to their respective camps for the two-month training for the May 7 fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
“In the event of another storm, we take the train to Washington,” Arum said.
The legendary promoter said people are still working on a possible meeting between Pacquiao and President Barack Obama, certainly the two most powerful men in the planet, in boxing and in politics.
Sen. Harry Reid, Arum told Fanhouse.com, will take Pacquiao to the former’s office, and the Senate floor.
“We haven’t heard back from the White House, but it looks good. But we will (visit the) Senate, we’re definitely doing (that). The President obviously has a lot of things on his plate,” Arum said.
“We’re going to have a press conference hosted by the Nevada Congressional delegation. Everything is being worked on. So, we’re definitely coming to Washington, and we’re going to do a press conference in Harry Reid’s office,” he added.
Arum said mediamen who will be at the Chelsea Pier for the Valentine’s Day press conference in New York will be issued passes for the great train ride, for free, to Washington.
“Yep. What we would like for you all to do is to come to New York. Go to the press conference in New York. And then, you’ll come back to Washington, D.C., with us. We have this whole, beautiful car that we’ve rented from the railroad that will go right to Washington. It’s a huge car that will seat 60 people,” Arum told Fanhouse.com.
“They will serve dinner on it and everything. So it will be a private car that is part of the train, and it will be a place where they will serve dinner and reporters will have three hours. They will have that time to have the opportunity to spend time and to speak with Manny as the train goes to Washington,” he added.
A snow-storm, Arum assured, can’t get in the way of this one.