Kobe picks Pacquiao over Cotto
By WAYLON GALVEZ
July 21, 2009, 6:24pm
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant on Tuesday said Manny Pacquiao will beat Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico when they clash in November in New York.
“That’s not even a question,” said Bryant, who arrived Monday night. “No doubt, Manny Pacquiao all the way.”
Bryant launched the first leg of his Asian Tour during the press conference at The Peninsula Manila. Bryant and Pacquiao met two weeks back in a photo shoot for Nike in Los Angeles two weeks back.
“I love him,” Bryant said. “I enjoy being around people who are just as competitive, who have the same passion about their sport as I am.”
“You can tell by watching him is that he truly loves what he does. I wish him the best, I’ve never seen him fight but if we have no game in his next match, you can be sure I’m watching,” Bryant said.
The 30-year-old Pacquiao, the current WBC super featherweight and The Ring super featherweight champion, will face-off with Cotto on November 14 for the latter’s WBO welterweight title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
This marks the third time that Bryant is visiting the country, the second time as endorser for Nike.
As part of his one-day Manila tour, Bryant, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the 2009 Finals MVP, visited the Nike Park at The Fort where he met young basketball players from the select Gawad Kalinga Foundation.
Meeting the young players was actually the reason why Bryant decided to return to the country.
“I try to teach kids with the game of basketball, it’s a great opportunity to reach out to Gawad Kalinga,” he said. “It’s great to be back, (Manila) it’s like home away from home.”
The main event of Bryant’s Kobe Asian Tour was the basketball camp at the PhilSports Arena (formerly ULTRA) where he showcased his skills and shared his basketball prowess alongside the Nike Elite Campers, a group of up-and-coming young basketball players.
By WAYLON GALVEZ
July 21, 2009, 6:24pm
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant on Tuesday said Manny Pacquiao will beat Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico when they clash in November in New York.
“That’s not even a question,” said Bryant, who arrived Monday night. “No doubt, Manny Pacquiao all the way.”
Bryant launched the first leg of his Asian Tour during the press conference at The Peninsula Manila. Bryant and Pacquiao met two weeks back in a photo shoot for Nike in Los Angeles two weeks back.
“I love him,” Bryant said. “I enjoy being around people who are just as competitive, who have the same passion about their sport as I am.”
“You can tell by watching him is that he truly loves what he does. I wish him the best, I’ve never seen him fight but if we have no game in his next match, you can be sure I’m watching,” Bryant said.
The 30-year-old Pacquiao, the current WBC super featherweight and The Ring super featherweight champion, will face-off with Cotto on November 14 for the latter’s WBO welterweight title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
This marks the third time that Bryant is visiting the country, the second time as endorser for Nike.
As part of his one-day Manila tour, Bryant, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the 2009 Finals MVP, visited the Nike Park at The Fort where he met young basketball players from the select Gawad Kalinga Foundation.
Meeting the young players was actually the reason why Bryant decided to return to the country.
“I try to teach kids with the game of basketball, it’s a great opportunity to reach out to Gawad Kalinga,” he said. “It’s great to be back, (Manila) it’s like home away from home.”
The main event of Bryant’s Kobe Asian Tour was the basketball camp at the PhilSports Arena (formerly ULTRA) where he showcased his skills and shared his basketball prowess alongside the Nike Elite Campers, a group of up-and-coming young basketball players.
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