Pacquiao unites heads of state

Philippines’ Manny Pacquiao (C) reacts before his world welterweight boxing championship bout against Argentina’s Lucas Matthysse at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur on July 15, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Mohd RASFAN

KUALA LUMPUR—Manny Pacquiao puts on a show, and it wasn’t just for ordinary boxing fans, but for heads of states as well.

No less than President Duterte and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad were witnesses to Pacquiao charging through Argentine Lucas Matthysse on the way to whipping up a thrilling knockout finish.

Unofficially, it marked the first boxing bout watched by top leaders of two countries.

And it wasn’t lost on Pacquiao.

“Their presence inspired me to give my best inside the ring,” said Pacquiao.

Clambering on the ropes after referee Kenny Bayless called a stop to the domination in the seventh round, Pacquiao waved at Mr. Duterte, who was doing a slow clap from the VIP box of Axiata Arena here.

The largely Filipino crowd, which hardly filled the 16,000-seat venue, then alternated in chanting “Pacquiao, Pacquiao!” and “Duterte, Duterte!.”

“I told them (Mr. Duterte and Mahathir) that I was so inspired coming to the fight. Before, people who watch my fights are boxing fans, now heads of state and government officials [also do]. I think half of the audience are government officials,” joked Pacquiao.

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III accompanied Pacquiao in the post-fight press conference where he told the Filipino boxing hero to get back to work in the Senate.

Pacquiao is in his first term as senator and now heads the Committee on Public Works. Sotto said he brought papers from the Senate for Pacquiao to review.

Turning serious, Pacquiao said the fight is “one of a kind” because of the support he got from government officials.

Rep. Toby Tiangco marched beside Pacquiao to the ring. Last Saturday after the weigh in, Representatives Bingbong Crisologo and Lito Atienza as well as Bureau of Corrections director Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and former Governor Chavit Singson, a regular at Pacquiao fights, were also present.

Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano was also in attendance.