Pacquiao, Matthysse vow a good fight
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 11 Jul 2018
KUALA LUMPUR ? Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday admitted he left the country happy for, again, giving chance to bring honor to the country through the only means he knows how.
But at the same time, he added, he was worried because of reports of a coming strong typhoon that might again bring suffering to his countrymen.
?Yeah, I?m really elated and excited that after more than a year, here I am again doing our country honor through the only thing I know how -- boxing,? Pacquiao, who is challenging Argentine World Boxing Association welterweight titleholder Lucas ?La Maquina? Mattthysse for his crown this coming Sunday told this writer in a one-on-one interview after press preview held at the he newly-installed pop-uo gym at the Le Meridien Hotel here.
?But I am also somewhat worried kasi noong umalis tayo sa Pilipinas ay may namimintong malakas na bagyo'ng parating na pwedeng magdala ng pinsala sa buhay ng ating mga kababayan,? the fighting senator said.
?Kaya nga mula nang umalis tayo sa General Santos noong Monday ay idinalangin ko sa Panginoon na huwag naman sanang magdulot ng malaking pinsala at madamay pa ang buhay ng ating mga kababayan,? he added.
?I have been monitoring naman sa mga development through my senate office, at medyo humupa na daw ang lakas hangin at ulan. Ambon na lamang daw although sa hapon lumalakas pa rin,? he said.
Manny Pacquiao (R) is surrounded by journalists during the media preview at the Le Meridien Hotel Wednesday. Photo by Wendell Alinea.
?Pakisabi mo lang sa mga kababayan natin na kahit na tayo nandito sa Malaysia at kasalukuyan naghahanda pa para sa laban ay tuloy ang dasal ko na maligtas lahat sila sa malaking pinsala,? Pacquiao assured. ?At pagdating natin ay dadalawin ko agad ang mga lugar na napinsala upang makapagbigay ng tulong.?
?And tell our kababayan, too, na puspusan pa rin ang paghahanda ko mula nang dumating tayo dito para manalo at mabigyan ko na muli sila ng kaligayahan,? he said.
And, like in my previous fights, panoorin nila ang laban. Gagawin ko lahat ng magagawa para ipanalo ito bilang handog ko sa kanila,? the only man on earth to win world championships in eight division vowed.
?I trained long and hard for this fighf, alam na naman nila yan at sa tulong ng Maykapal papalarin tayong manalo upang iwagayway nagting muli ang ing bandila at makilalang muli ang Pilipino na kampeon sa mundo,? he said.
The Pacquiao-Matthysse 12-round showdown for the latter?s 147-pound diadem is set Sunday morning at the Axiata Arena here.
Meanwhile, Matthysse?s camp through the champ?s Joel Diaz, denied earlier reports attributed to them that he will retire the Filipino.
?All we?ve been saying is we intend to return Argentina with the title intact. ?It?s up to Manny if he wish to retire after the fight,? Matthysse said as interpreted by Diaz.
?Like Manny, Lucas also prepared long and hard in order to win. It?ll be a good fight and I?m sure boxing fans will enjoy it,? Matthysse said.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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