Manila Bulletin -Barring any last-minute change in schedule, boxing's pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao is making a whirlwind visit to Los Angeles to shoot a pictorial with basketball icon Kobe Bryant on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).
Pacquiao and Bryant are under contract with Nike and both are the main endorsers in their chosen fields of the highly-successful Oregon-based sports apparel company.
Pacquiao's lawyer, Franklin Gacal, said they are booked to leave tonight via Philippine Airlines. Joining them are Pacquiao's business manager Eric Pineda and an executive of Nike Philippines.
"It's going to be a one-day shoot in Los Angeles and Manny and I are returning (to Manila) the next day," said Gacal, citing that Pacquiao has a lot of commitments to fulfill in the country.
As to how much Pacquiao is getting for the one-day gig with Kobe is a closely-guarded secret and Gacal politely declines to give even a ballpark figure.
"Satisfactory" was how Gacal described the pact between Pacquiao and Nike.
Pacquiao has done a few print ads for Nike Philippines but this latest project will be the second time the Filipino puncher is embarking on a deal for a much wider audience release.
Pacquiao had appeared in a commercial last year featuring Bryant and other top Nike endorses like Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova of tennis, Cristiano Ronaldo of soccer and Liu Xiang of track and field.
Pacquiao's brief stay in the US might enable him as well to look at the proposal concerning his planned Nov. 14 bout with Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico.
Mike Koncz, Pacquiao's Canadian adviser, has the documents in hand and he is keenly awaiting the arrival of the boxer in La-La Land.
Pacquiao and Bryant are under contract with Nike and both are the main endorsers in their chosen fields of the highly-successful Oregon-based sports apparel company.
Pacquiao's lawyer, Franklin Gacal, said they are booked to leave tonight via Philippine Airlines. Joining them are Pacquiao's business manager Eric Pineda and an executive of Nike Philippines.
"It's going to be a one-day shoot in Los Angeles and Manny and I are returning (to Manila) the next day," said Gacal, citing that Pacquiao has a lot of commitments to fulfill in the country.
As to how much Pacquiao is getting for the one-day gig with Kobe is a closely-guarded secret and Gacal politely declines to give even a ballpark figure.
"Satisfactory" was how Gacal described the pact between Pacquiao and Nike.
Pacquiao has done a few print ads for Nike Philippines but this latest project will be the second time the Filipino puncher is embarking on a deal for a much wider audience release.
Pacquiao had appeared in a commercial last year featuring Bryant and other top Nike endorses like Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova of tennis, Cristiano Ronaldo of soccer and Liu Xiang of track and field.
Pacquiao's brief stay in the US might enable him as well to look at the proposal concerning his planned Nov. 14 bout with Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico.
Mike Koncz, Pacquiao's Canadian adviser, has the documents in hand and he is keenly awaiting the arrival of the boxer in La-La Land.
