Over 1,500 Will Be At Manny's
Birthday Bash In Philippines

There are 1,500 invited guests - including Bob Arum, Freddie Roach, David Diaz and Marco Antonio Barrera - for Manny Pacquiao's birthday party on Wednesday, Dec. 17 in General Santos, the Philippines.

Manny will celebrate his 30th birthday and his victory over the Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya, in the Dream Match.

It was Roach who put together the tactical blueprint for Manny in the fight against De La Hoya. "Before the fight I said if Manny follows the game plan we will win," said Roach. "Manny followed it perfectly."

Pacquiao, who earlier defeated David Diaz for the WBC lightweight title, met Diaz in Chicago during the Dream Match press tour which made a stop at the famous Sears Tower. Before the press conference, David and his wife met with Manny who embraced both of them and said "...you will always be my friend."

"You are a great champion," Diaz told him.

"I consider Muhammad Ali and Manny Pacquiao as the two greatest of all time," Diaz said yesterday in the Philippines.

Pacquiao says he never throws a punch in anger.

"When I walk to the ring I think of all of my countrymen and everything builds up inside me," Pacquiao said. "That's when I fight as hard as I can and try to please everyone. My goal is to give the best fight I can."

The guest list is 1,500 -- including President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Alexander Yano -- plus hundreds more who plan to head towards the festivities in General Santos.