His views on gay rights -- he called homosexuals "worse than animals" while campaigning for the Senate in -- prompted a rare apology from Pacquiao, one he followed by saying he was unbothered by the critics because "Jesus lives in me, so I'm always happy. He tried to make up for his lack of education by taking courses on public policy, and he's made alliances with people who know Philippine politics.
He understands everything here is personality-driven, which explains why he's out at town fiestas doling out money. He's playing the game. He seems to understand what he's getting into. But Pacquiao is the one on whom Duterte has turned most of his ire. An aide to Pacquiao who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal from political opponents says, "A lot of people around Duterte don't like Manny. They definitely don't want him to run. He's the only one they're attacking because they see him as a threat.
I'm not attacking him -- I'm just exposing the corruption in his government. His voice -- soft, melodious -- betrays neither emotion nor doubt. Questions about boxing elicit rote, unenlightening answers.
Questions about politics are far more welcome. He stares out across the breakfast table to a spot on the far wall. Seconds pass. The silence at the table grows uncomfortable. Finally, his eyes return to the conversation.
The people around Pacquiao feel it. They fear not only physical violence but also the possibility that the levers of government will be employed against them. It's in their minds and on their phones. I was shown numerous text messages that were vaguely menacing but stopped short of threatening violence, and multiple aides shared their concern for the safety of Pacquiao and his family.
Some in the camp feel uneasy about returning home after the fight, wondering whether they and their families should stay in the U. At the very least, there are plans to ramp up a security detail that already feels like a private army. The fears would seem alarmist if not for the history of political violence in the Philippines. In August of , former Sen.
Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. In , on the island of Mindanao, which includes Pacquiao's hometown of General Santos City, the wife and sister of a political candidate -- along with at least 30 journalists -- were among 58 people who were kidnapped, shot and buried as they attempted to file a certification for the candidacy of Esmael Mangudadatu in a gubernatorial election. And in , 30 years after Aquino was assassinated, at the same airport -- now named the Ninoy Aquino International Airport -- the mayor of a southern Philippine town was shot and killed along with his wife, his niece and an month-old baby who happened to be in the line of fire.
Given his stature, I don't think Pacquiao himself will be under the threat of violence, but this being the Philippines, it's hard to say. He should be prepared for that. And it would be so easy to target one of his aides. That would send a really loud signal to Pacquiao and his people. Standing against the back wall of the Wild Card gym in Hollywood, Ruel Pacquiao, Manny's brother and a Philippine congressman, is watching his brother work out in the clamped mugginess.
The scene is the perfect embodiment of the current Pacquiao experience -- the man himself in the ring, focused and assured, while the currents swirl around him. But it must be exhausting: training for a major fight; dealing with the anxiety that has overtaken his world; keeping up with Senate business on Zoom calls from Los Angeles at midnight before Manila's most recent COVID lockdown ended the Senate session. When I ask Ruel about his brother's relationship with Duterte, his response is stark: "In politics, there are no permanent friends.
One constant of Pacquiao's year professional career is his respect for his opponents, a unique quality in the sport. He will fight Saturday night in Las Vegas, perhaps for the final time, under the proscribed, year-old rules of boxing.
From there, the rules disappear, and those close to him fear the unpredictability of what's to come. As the sounds of Manny's fists hitting the mitts echo off the walls of the gym, one of his aides is sitting in the locker room, the door closed. Example: Manny has hit the [secretaries and cabinet members] around Duterte, and that's what has rattled the cage.
We're doing this the right way, though, because it is nonviolent and against corruption. Especially if the alternative might be going to prison. He stops and looks up, takes a deep breath, gestures toward the closed door and the ring on the other side, where Pacquiao is well into the second hour of his afternoon session.
But there are times I cry about it. It does get to you. Skip to main content Skip to navigation. Manny Pacquiao ready for his toughest fight yet. The 'most avoided' fighter? David Benavidez just wants a big fight. Shields to fight Kozin under new Sky Sports deal.
Fury had six-hour elbow op post Wilder - father. Frank Gore to fight Deron Williams on Dec. Canelo undisputed champ with late TKO of Plant. Mayer scores title-unifying win vs. Sources: V. Ortiz turns to Reynoso as new trainer. Ex-NBA star D. He went on to win several high-profile bouts in the years thereafter, claiming world titles in a total of eight different weight divisions.
Ten years after his win against Sasakul, in December , Pacquiao was named victor of an eight-round, non-title welterweight bout against famed American boxer Oscar De La Hoya. Pacquiao won the fight by a knockout in the second round, taking The Ring 's junior welterweight championship. Later that year, in November, he beat Puerto Rico's Miguel Cotto in a round bout, for the World Boxing Organization welterweight title—an honor he defended in , when he outlasted Ghanaian boxer Joshua Clottey in a round fight.
On June 9, , Pacquiao lost a round bout with American boxer Timothy Bradley, in a decision by three judges. The fight was an incredible upset for boxing fans, as Pacquiao had won seven rounds to Bradley's five.
The fight, broadcast on pay-per-view, was watched by thousands of fans worldwide. The judges' decision spurred wide speculation, as both critics and fans argued that Pacquiao should have been named the victor.
That December, Pacquiao suffered another difficult defeat. He was knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez in the sixth round of their welterweight bout in Las Vegas. Pacquiao's impeccable footwork, speed and quick jabs have kept boxing fans on their feet. And his endearing smile, charm and chiseled physique have only helped to boost his public appeal.
He was also named "Fighter of the Decade" for the s by the Boxing Writers Association of America, among various other honors. He then scored his third straight win by holding off Chris Algieri in November. Billed the "Fight of the Century," the long-anticipated bout between the era's two signature boxers brought in a record purse via gate receipts and pay-per-view buys. Despite fighting with an injured right shoulder, Pacquiao gamely went after Mayweather but was unable to land many effective punches.
He lost a unanimous decision to drop his record to Following another loss, to Australia's Jeff Horn in July , it seemed that the former champion was nearing the end of the road in his boxing career. However, after a year off, Pacquiao scored a seventh-round knockout of Argentina's Lucas Matthysse, showing that he remained a formidable presence in the ring. Pacquiao is known for his fast footwork and blistering speed of punches, and is widely regarded as one of the top offensive fighters in the sport's history.
As the only fighter to win world titles in eight different weight divisions, many consider him the best pound-for-pound boxer of all time.
The late boxing historian Bert Sugar rated Pacquiao the best southpaw - a left-hander who leads with the right - that ever lived. Veteran promoter Bob Arum in said Pacquiao was unmatched, and rated him better than Muhammad Ali.
A photo from March 6, , shows Manny Pacquiao during a senate hearing in Manila. Pacquiao had a net worth of 3. Pacquiao has juggled his boxing career with one in domestic politics, albeit with frequent absences while preparing for fights.
In , he won a seat in Congress at the second attempt and was reelected three years later, despite having one of the worst attendance records in the house. In , he won a seat in the higher-profile Senate, where he co-authored a Bill to repeal the death penalty and steadfastly backed President Rodrigo Duterte's bloody war on drugs, a campaign condemned by the international community for killing thousands of mostly urban, poor Filipinos.
In a interview with Reuters, Pacquiao admitted to having as a youth experimented for years with "all kinds of drugs". He landed himself in hot water during campaigning for the senate, when he said gay couples were "worse than animals", resulting in sports giant Nike terminating its contract with him, despite Pacquiao apologising for the remark, which saw his opinion poll rating drop.
Earlier this month, he announced he would run for the presidency, a move analysts say could be his toughest fight yet. Join ST's Telegram channel here and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
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