PACQUIAO TALKS ABOUT WINNING AND FAITH
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 13 Apr 2015
LOS ANGELES -- Win to be the undisputed welterweight champion, then we'll be gratified!
This was what Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said will happen after his super-fight with American Floyd Mayweather is over.
Asked by Christian Pastor Dudley Rutherford that question in a live interview during a religious service held at the Westside Shepherd Church here Sunday morning, the 36-year-old Born Again Christian convert, without hesitation, answered that way to the delight of the some 3,000 flock members, most of whom Filipino expatriates here and other parts of the United States.
A thousand more who could be accommodated inside the venue contented themselves watching the one hour-and-a-half one-on-one interview in a giant screen outside the building.
The unprecedented church service cum interview, titled "Faith and Fighting," was held as a way of the flock lending moral support to the Filipino ring icon in his coming historic showdown with the undefeated American Mayweather on May 2 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
The interview touched on a lot of things on the life of the World Boxing Organization welterweight titleholder from the time how he as a young boy forced to do menial jobs at age four to help his mother Dionisia rear the brood of six as a single mother.
How he was lured into boxing even after earning just $2 dollars after each victory and felt very happy being able to buy food to feed his mother, sisters Liza and isidra,brothers Domingo, Alberto "Bobby" and Rogelio. Liza and Domingo were born from Aleng Dionisia's first husband, while Manny, isidra,Bobby and Rogelio were born out of the Dionisia-Rosalio union.
How he worked his way to raise the family, through prizefighting from a deep hole of poverty to become rich, famous and powerful he is today.
How he married Maria Geraldine "Jinkee" Jamora (now Vice Governor of Sarangani Province) with whom he has five children -- Emmanuel "Jimwell" Jr., Michael, Princess, Queen "Queenie" Elizabeth and Israel.
How he extricated himself from sins brought about by fame and riches by converting from being a devout Catholic to Born Again with the help of Jinkee. She, in turn, converted to be a government servant like her husband (Pacquiao is in his second term as Congressman, representing his wife's province) to further serve the people.
"In being a Christian, I learned not only how to know God but also believe in him. I also knew God before, but I didn't believe in Him. I was leaving an empty life until I found Jesus?, he pontificated.
Answering a query on his thoughts as to who will be the President of the Republic, he or Jinkee, Pacquiao retorted with a smile and pointing to the wife, "she, the President of the house," drawing a mixture of laughter and applause from his audience.
Pastor Rutherford asked Pacquiao on what he will be after 10 years and retired and the eight-division champion answered: "Serving the lord and serving the People."
"I would like to help more of my people. By being in government service, I will be able to give back to my people what God has given me. That will be my biggest legacy."
Being a boxer is no joke, he attested. "Everyday, from Monday to Saturday, if I have a fight, I have to wake up at 3 o'clock and run at 5 a.m. for one hour. Go home at 7, eat breakfast, rest a little, wake up at noon for gym training from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m."
"God is good," he said. He thought me how to manage my time in my profession, my job as a congressman then my wife and family," he narrated. "God rewarded me though by giving me fame and riches, a beautiful wife, healthy children and eight world championships in eight different divisions.
As for Jinkee, she said that all she and her children can do to help is to always pray for him to be a good person, a good husband and a faithful servant of God.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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