Pacquiao: Fight not for Senate bid but for PH honor

Manny Pacquiao signs a painting of him created by Los Angeles artist Paul Daniels after his work out at the Wild Card gym, April 4, 2016. Pacquiao is scheduled to fight Timothy Bradley Jr. on April 9 (US time.) PHOTO BY REM ZAMORA

HOLLYWOOD—He may be in a different kind of battle back home, but in the ring, Manny Pacquiao is fighting for the pride and honor of the Filipino people.

With his possible farewell bout running right smack in the middle of the election season in the Philippines, Pacquiao maintained that his third showdown against Timothy Bradley is not about raising his stock for his Senate bid.

“I know it’s election [season] back home. I’m kindly asking everyone to not think of this as part of the elections,” Pacquiao told reporters in Filipino at the conclusion of his final training at Wild Card gym here Monday.

There has been a fair amount of criticisms thrown Pacquiao’s way since his decision to run for a higher seat in the government; many feel he taking advantage of a highly-publicized fight for his campaign.

In fact, there had been several protests before the Commission of Elections claiming that Pacquiao fighting at this time gives him undue advantage over other Senate candidates.

But the eight-division champion, whose legendary run in the ring has thrust the country into the limelight in the past decade, said that the April 9 bout isn’t about his personal agenda.

His victories have been a source of pride for the Philippines in the past, and he wants what he is claiming to be his final dance to do just the same.

“Let’s all be one for the honor of the country. This is just not about me. It’s about the Filipinos gaining the respect of other countries. That’s our honor. Let’s be proud we’re Filipino,” Pacquiao said.