Pacquiao says he ‘pities’ ‘uneducated’ Mayweather, vows to play pro basketball

By: Mark Giongco - 10 years ago

Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr. FILE PHOTOS

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines — Floyd Mayweather’s recent jabs at Manny Pacquiao have forced the Filipino boxing legend to respond with a counterpunch.

Pacquiao also assured fans that he would play a few minutes of professional basketball when the new season opens next month even while he trains for a match in Macau in November against unbeaten American Chris Algieri.

Despite calls by boxing fans for the two biggest names in the sport finally to meet, Mayweather has refused to commit to a match but has not refrained from baiting Pacquiao.

Mayweather again mocked reigning WBO welterweight champion Pacquiao on social media with photos of his 2012 knockout loss to Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez just recently.

The current pound-for-pound king—undefeated in 47 fights—also said “Miss Pacman” is “desperate” for a pay day and that the Saranggani Congressman’s Pay-Per-View numbers are a “joke.”

When asked during a television interview what he had to say regarding Mayweather’s latest antics, Pacquiao subtlety fired back.

“I’m not angry at him,” Pacquiao, who has 56 wins and five losses, said. “I still feel sorry for him because he acts like an uneducated person. It’s pitiful to me and I’m praying for him.”

“He (Mayweather) should fear God,” the deeply-religious Pacquiao said, advising him to heed the biblical passage reading “For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”

Talks of a megafight between the two ring titans have also resurfaced and rumors say that it could finally happen in May 2015.

The 37-year-old Mayweather recently extended his unbeaten record to 47 wins after beating Argentinian Marcos Maidana via unanimous decision in their rematch.

Pacquiao on the other hand, is in his first few weeks of training for his upcoming world title fight with the undefeated and WBO junior welterweight titlist Algieri in November at the Cotai Arena at The Venetian in Macau.

The 35-year-old Pacquiao, who has held world titles in eight separate weight divisions, has other things to worry about than Mayweather’s insults.

Aside from training for his fight against Algieri, he is also acting as coach and player for the newly-created Kia Motors team in the highly-competitive Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

The 5-foot, 6-inches Pacquiao said he would make training for the fight his main priority, leaving most of his basketball duties to his assistant coach.

“I already talked to (boxing) coach Freddie (Roach) that I am going to play in the PBA maybe just two to three minutes. My focus is on my training for the November fight,” he said.

While the megafight between Pacquiao and Mayweather remain nothing but rumors, seeing the two rivals jaw at each other every now and then whether it be on social networking sites or during interviews will have to suffice.