Manny Pacquiao during the post-fight press conference of Pacquiao-Bradley 3 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Pacquiao beat Timothy Bradley via unanimous decision. PHOTO BY REM ZAMORA
It’s only been three months since Manny Pacquiao announced his retirement, but that is long enough for him to miss the sport that made him who he is now.
As boxing’s only eight-division world champion, Pacquiao doesn’t have anything left to prove in the ring.
But the former pound-for-pound king needed only a few reasons why he will eventually make a comeback before the year ends.
“Para sa akin, unang-una, aaminin ko, boxing is my passion, dyan talaga ako lumaki, hilig ko talaga yan,” the 37-year-old Pacquiao told reporters on Wednesday when asked why he decided to come out of retirement.
“Nami-miss ko ang boxing and pangalawa, karangalan ko na makapagbigay ng honor sa ating bansa and boxing is my vocation,” added Pacquiao, who attended Mahindra’s 105-103 win over San Miguel Beer in the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup. “Boxing is my profession kung saan ko tinutulungan ang pamilya ko.”
Pacquiao said boxing is his way to cater to his and his family’s financial needs, assuring that he has no plans to make money as a politician.
He also reiterated that his boxing career won’t interfere with his duty as senator as he is determined to be present in Congress sessions after being labeled as one of the top absentees in 2014 back when he was still a Representative of Sarangani.
“Sa pagseserbisyo ko wala naman akong balak magnakaw diyan. In fact, sarili kong pera ginagastos ko para makatulong ako sa ating mga kababayan na mahirap. Ayan lang ang hanapbuhay ko,” he said.
“Basta hindi maaapektuhan ang trabaho ko, yan ang sinisigurado ko na ayaw kong maaapektuhan ang pagtatrabaho ko at pagseserbisyo ko sa taong bayan. In the meantime, kumikita ako para sa pamilya ko at ayokong gawing livelihood ang pagseserbisyo ko because I believe government is a public service not our personal business.”