PACQUIAO'S APPEAL: SET ASIDE POLITICS
By Aquiles Z. Zonio
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 09 Apr 2016
LAS VEGAS ? World eight-division boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has made an appeal to the media to focus their coverage on his fight not on politics.
?Let us set aside politics here. Please focus your coverage on my fight,? Pacquiao asked reporters obviously trying to parry question involving his Senate bid back in the Philippines.
Pacquiao is among the senatorial aspirants in the coming May elections under the opposition party, the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).
Many scribes covering his training camp here have been asking questions related to politics but Pacquiao refused to give comments out of personal delicadeza and respect to the Comelec rules.
Pacquiao, however, thanked American boxer Timothy Bradley for his kind remarks made a few minutes before the scheduled final press conference last Wednesday.
Pacquiao claimed he did not expect Bradley to endorse his senate bid when the latter was given time to speak at the dais.
Bradley said "I read something the other day where someone said Manny Pacquiao, in order to win his campaign, to do what he has to do, that he has to win this fight."
"I think that is baloney. I think that is garbage. I don't think the fight has anything to do with what this man has shown for the Filipino people, where he's from. To lose a fight or whatever happens and not get what is rightfully deserved, for him to win... If he hasn't shown everybody what he is made of with everything he has done for the Philippines and the Filipino people. "He is truly, truly to me the only one out there who is going to do right by the Filipino people. He's shown over and over that he is for the people and by the people and that he's a man of his word. He's always shown that character and that integrity and I think he's the right man for the job," Bradley added.
Bradley then turned and spoke directly to Pacquiao, "Good luck in your campaign. I wish nothing but the best for you, man. I hope you truly, truly win. I really do."
Pacquiao admitted he was taken aback and touched by what Bradley did.
?Nabigla ako at sobrang na-touch dun sa sinabi niya. Hindi ko akalain na gagawin niya yon. Taos-puso akong nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng magandang sinabi niya at lalong tumaas yong respeto ko sa kanya,? Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao has become famous for sharing his blessings especially to poor people in his district, prompting Top Rank honcho Bob Arum to call him a ?one-man social welfare agency? in the Philippines.
In his speech, Arum admitted he, himself, was startled by Bradley speech.
"It blew me away. Never in my 50 years in this business have I heard a thing like that. You have two guys in a big fight and one of them gets up and does a campaign speech for his opponent. It was unbelievable and shows what a class act Timothy Bradley really is."
Photo: World eight-division boxing champion Manny Pacquiao sips water to rehydrate after completing 10 laps around the rubberized track oval of UNLV sports facility here in Las Vegas on Thursday to mark the end of his eight-week training camp for the April 9 trilogy with Timothy Bradley. Looking on were Justin Fortune (center), Pacquiao's conditioning coach, and Roger "Haplas" Fernandez (right), one of Pacman's trusted training assistants. Photo by Aquiles Z. Zonio
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