MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao put on the Giants uniform yesterday, threw a pitch and swung at the ball at the AT&T Park in San Francisco.
No, he has no plans of joining next year’s Major League draft.
Pacquiao, who recently signed up as playing-coach for Kia Motors in the Philippine Basketball Association, is in San Francisco to promote his coming fight against the undefeated Chris Algieri.
He showed up at the Giants’ batting practice, took a couple of swings, and trooped to the mound to throw the opening pitch of the home team’s game against the Brewers.
Pacquiao had a picture taken with former homerun king Barry Bonds.
It’s the third stop of a six-leg press tour for their WBO welterweight title bout scheduled Nov. 23 at the Cotai Arena of The Venetian Hotel in Macau.
The two fighters were in Macau and Shanghai this week drumming up the fight. From San Francisco, they fly to Las Vegas, then Los Angeles and New York.
On Monday, the eight-division world champion from the Philippines will also throw the ceremonial pitch for the LA Dodgers’ game against the Washington Nationals.
After the 27,273-mile press tour, Pacquiao and Algieri will go separate ways and to their own training camps. They meet again in Macau in November.
Pacquiao said he will train in General Santos City but may make a couple of visits to Manila because on Oct. 19 the 40th PBA season unfolds.
While he prepares for the Algieri fight, Pacquiao is also looking forward to his stint in Asia’s first professional league.
While in Shanghai last Wednesday, he talked about his new-found career, and how excited he is to play and coach at the same time.
Pacquiao also bared his plan to recruit Metta World Peace, the former Ron Artest, for the import-spiced conferences starting next year.
He can’t wait to play ball – professionally.
But it doesn’t mean that Pacquiao is taking Algieri lightly.
“I cannot underestimate him,” he said.
“He’s tall. So, how can I underestimate him? And he’s undefeated,” Pacquiao told a small group of Taiwanese reporters at the Sheraton Hotel in Shanghai.
“Malaki si Algieri. Malaki pa kay (Oscar) Dela Hoya. Malaki pa yata kay (Antonio) Margarito,” he said later on.
“He has never lost a fight. That’s good. I respect him for that,” Pacquiao added.