Pacquiao watches, shrugs off ‘racist’ video; Floyd apologizes

MANILA, Philippines—Manny Pacquiao finally got a chance to watch the video—twice—of a ranting Floyd Mayweather Jr. hurling every possible racist remark at the Filipino ring superstar.   Pacquiao’s reaction, though, remained unchanged.   The Sarangani representative continued to hold back comment on the infamous Mayweather rant that went viral and opened the undefeated American superstar to a lot of biting criticisms from the boxing press.   “It’s an uneducated message,” Pacquiao told the Associated Press, even as Mayweather finally apologized for the 10-minute profanity-laced outburst littered with racist and homophobic remarks that he personally uploaded on the video sharing site uStream.   “I do want to apologize for what happened the other night,” Mayweather said in another Web video. “I want to apologize to everybody. They felt it was a racist comment that came from me.   “I don’t have a racist bone in my body, you know. I love everybody. Some of my guys are Muslims … Jews, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Mexicans, whites, it doesn’t matter. There is nothing but love in my heart.   “I was just having fun. I didn’t really mean it, nothing in a bad way.”   Pacquiao is slated to arrive in Manila Monday from a whirlwind, three-city promotional tour capped by a major press conference in Arlington, Texas, for his bout against Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13 at Cowboys Stadium.   Pacquiao, accompanied by conditioning expert Alex Ariza, is expected to head straight to work and will try to focus on his legislative duties until Sept. 20, when he is expected to start training, possibly in Baguio City.   Freddie Roach is expected to plane in on Sept. 19 along with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., who will serve as Pacquiao’s sparring partner.   The “Fighter of the Decade” will seek an unprecedented eighth weight crown when he battles with Margarito for the vacant WBC super welterweight belt.   Pacquiao opted to quell the Mayweather controversy by shrugging off his remarks and  apology. He even thanked the American for helping promote the showdown with Margarito by putting the Filipino back in the spotlight.   Ariza told the Inquirer that he expects Pacquiao to begin his conditioning training even before the camp opens so that when Roach arrives, they could step up the regimen.   Pacquiao earlier explained to Top Rank chief Bob Arum that he regretted he couldn’t stay behind to attend the funeral rites for the promoter’s 49-year-old son.   John Arum, a lawyer, environmentalist and mountaineering enthusiast, died in a tragic accident on the treacherous slopes of the Cascade Mountains in Washington State.   Pacquiao told Arum his congressional duties forced him to fly back to Manila in a huff.   Michael Koncz will attend the funeral in Las Vegas on Pacquiao’s behalf.   The Arum family, meantime, issued a statement thanking all those who shared their grief.   “John was a very special person,” part of the statement read. “A wonderful husband, son, brother and friend, John meant so much to so many. He was so loved, we miss him already.