By Roy Luarca
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is greeted by Manny Pacquiao during the press conference after their fight at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (INQUIRER PHOTO BY REM ZAMORA)
HOLLYWOOD—The message was music to Manny Pacquiao’s ears. Floyd Mayweather is willing to give him a second chance in the ring.
Still reeling from the loss he suffered to Mayweather and the shoulder injury he sustained Saturday night, Pacquiao’s eyes sparkled when informed of the flamboyant American’s announcement.
“I will fight him in a year after his surgery,” Mayweather texted ESPN’s Stephen Smith.
“Rematch? Yes, we’re ready to fight,” Pacquiao told Filipino sportswriters and photographers at the garage of his home in North Plymouth Boulevard in Hollywood. “However, my injur has to heal first.”
Pacquiao, who is scheduled for surgery at a Los Angeles hospital on Sunday, said his rotator cuff muscle got a “significant tear” and it needs to be sewed up to heal.
“It will take from four to six months to return to normal,” added Pacquiao.
After the procedure, Pacquiao will have to take five to six week’ rest without strenuous activities.
As to his rehabilitation program, Pacquiao revealed that a doctor will go to the Philippines monthly to check on his progress.
Pacquiao said the injury was actually an old one. He sustained it in 2009 when a big wave struck the jet ski he was driving, sending him flying into the air for a bad fall.
It recurred when Pacquiao’s arm and that of his sparring partner got entangled after an exchange of punches.
The incident was confirmed by Dashon Johnson, one of his former sparring partners, in a Facebook post.
Two days later, Pacquiao was examined and the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) detected the tear. Pacquiao did not spar for a week and used his injured shoulder sparingly to allow it to recover.
Eventually, Pacquiao felt confident to use it in sparring and mitts sessions. Just to make sure, however, they sought the permission of the Nevada State Athletic to inject Toradol, an anti inflammatory drug, three hours prior to the 12-round bout. It was turned down.
Despite the rejection, Pacquiao went on the offensive, pouring it all in the fourth round until his right caught Mayweather near the neck. Right after the collision, pain shot through Pacquiao’s arm and he was never the same again.
“I can endure the pain, but the power was no longer there,” said Pacquiao
Now, Pacquiao and his team are under scrutiny for failing to formally disclose the injury to the NAC , having indicated that he had had no injury in the medical questionnaire.
Pacquiao’s adviser, Michael Koncz, said he was the one who filled up and made the mistake in the answer box.
The rematch offer of Mayweather was unexpected as the world’s highest earning athlete had stated during the post-fight conference that he would be done with boxing after one more bout in September.
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