Pacquiao to decide Friday on Rio stint

WHILE waiting for the decision of Senator-elect Manny Pacquiao, the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (Abap) is intensifying its preparations for the coming Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

As Pacquiao mulls over the slot offered to him by Abap for the Games set Aug. 5 to 21, the top-performing national sports association brought in seasoned United States-based trainer Nonito Donaire Sr. as consultant to the national pool of boxers honing up in Baguio City.

The elder Donaire, father of five-division world champion Nonito and former US team aspirant and former pro boxer Glenn, has been working with the team even without specific monetary remuneration.

The Abap gave eight-division world champion Pacquiao up to Friday to decide on whether he’d come out of retirement to represent his country in the quadrennial Olympics or focus on his legislative duties.

If Pacquiao relents, he will be entered in the junior welterweight division.

Thus far, the country has two Olympic boxers in light flyweight Roger Ladon and lightweight Charly Suarez.

Another qualifier is set in Baku, Azerbaijan, on June 16 to 25.

There, Donaire Sr. will be around to lend his expertise and share his inputs with the national coaches. Roy Luarca