Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao, wearing a black shoulder brace and arm sling, waves during a welcome motorcade in Manila, Philippines on Wednesday, May 13, 2015. Pacquiao returned home to the Philippines on Wednesday nursing his right shoulder after surgery and weighing up whether to retire or push for a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. AP
HOLLYWOOD—Regardless of the outcome of his title fight with Jessie Vargas on Nov. 5, Manny Pacquiao will fly back to the Philippines the day after.
Deviating from his usual schedule of returning to Los Angeles by land first and taking the flight out of the US, Pacquiao will head to Manila from Las Vegas on Sunday (Monday in Manila).
“I need to return home at once,” said Pacquiao, who’ll be missing a Senate session for the first time when the upper chamber reconvenes Nov. 7.
Pacquiao will resume legislative duties the following day.
“It’s important for me to be there because we will do our budget deliberations,” Pacquiao said.
During the election campaign, Pacquiao, a frequent absentee in Congress, promised to give priority to his legislative duties over boxing.
After beating Timothy Bradley Jr. by unanimous decision last April, Pacquiao announced his retirement.
Thus far, he has lived up to that promise, training early morning and at night to be able to fulfill his Senate duties.
The fight against Vargas was also scheduled based on the closing of the Senate sessions on Oct. 19 and its resumption.