PACQUIAO' SON: "MY DAD IS A MAN ON A MISSION"
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 23 Mar 2015
LOS ANGELES, Cal. -- Three of Manny Pacquiao's five siblings believe their World Boxing Organization welterweight champion father will emerge victorious in his fight with American World Boxing Council/World Boxing Association counterpart Floyd Mayweather Jr. this coming May 2, in Las Vegas.
"No, it's not guts just because he's my Dad. It's because he has a mission, Emmanuel "Jimwell" Pacquiao Jr., Pacquiao's and wife Sarangani Vice Go. Jinkee's eldest son predicted Sunday.
"He's fighting not only for himself, or us, his family but for the downtrodden like him who rose from the deep hole of poverty to be what he is now," JImwell, who is 14 and a third year high school student at the International School-General Santos City, said.
"Dad, in fact, wouldn't get into retirement for as long as he still has the strength to fight. How many times has our Mom, Lolas, Lolos and relatives asked him to hang up his gloves to no avail?" he asked. "He wants to continue providing hopes for those in need that there is life for them no matter how poor they are."
"At saka may tiwala kami kay Dad, in his dedication, determination his strength, his capabilities," Jimwell said. "That's why, kahit madalas kami nagkakahiwa-hiwalay, we didn't mind. We know naman his desire to help others through the only way he knows -- through boxing."
"His faith in God is so strong, so that all of us in the family, nahawa," he quipped. "Kaya kami naman na mga anak niya, nagdadasal din that he continues serving our people in the only sport he knows."
"Yeah, that's correct," Michael, the second eldest, butted in in an interview during a tour of the 12 million dolloar newly bought house by Pacquiao as a gift to his wife Jinkee. "That's why we want him to win this coming fight so he can continue giving hopes sa mga tao na ang ikinabubuhay lang ay ang pag-asang giginhawa rin sila habang may buhay."
"For me naman, nasa kanya yun kung gusto na niyang mag-retire kahit pagkatapos ng laban versus Mayweather," Michael, who, like Jimwell, was born in the same year, 2001 said. "But, I, too, feel, hindi pa niya gagawin yun. Sabi nang iba pag natalo daw, knock on wood, baka mag-retire na nga. Pero hindi siya matatalo."
"It's becsause nga, sabi nga niya, marami pa siyang dapat gawin for our country and our contrymen. Kaya naman one of our prayers, bigyan siya ng God ng mahaba pang buhay so he can serve pa his constituents in our province and sa entire country as well."
"That's the reason all of us, from our Mom to our younger sisters and brother flew here to L.A. to lend him support in his preparation for the fight and inspiration during the actual showdown," Michael said.
"We will be watching the fight in person, nandoon kami sa MGM Arena, kami lahat, including our new- born brother, kung papayagan," Jimwell assured.
As for Princess, the third in a brood of five, well, this writer wasn't able to talk to the cute seven-year-old. But everybody knows though that she was very vocal in telling her father, even during one of the many negotiations, to fight Mayweather before he retires.
"And knock him out," she was reported as saying once.
Sunday, actually, was Pacquiao's rest day from his hectic training regimen and the entire family spent the day attending religious services at the Westside Sheperd Church here in L.A.
From the church, the Pacquiao family treated family members, friends, supporters and members of media who are here covering his training to a lunch at the Sarangani Congressman's favorite Kabuki Japanese Restaurant on Vine and Sunset in Hollywood before proceeding to the Summit in Beverly Hills where the new palatial house the eight-division champ gifted Jinkee is located.
Photo: Jimwell Pacquiao (R) and younger brother Michael arrive at LAX from the Philippines last Friday. Photo by Aquiles Z. Zonio.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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