Palace wishes Pacquiao all the best in his bout against Mayweather

MANILA — Win or lose, the country will remain proud and supportive of Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, who battles Floyd Mayweather, Jr. for the welterweight crown in Las Vegas on Saturday (Sunday Manila time), Malacañang has said.

“Ang gusto lang naman po nating sabihin kay Congressman Manny Pacquiao ay kahit ano ang maging resulta ng kanyang laban ay mananatili po ang paghanga at pagsuporta sa kanya nang buong sambayanang Pilipino,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in an interview aired over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Saturday.

“At siyempre, ang gusto naman natin pong makita bukas ay talagang magtagumpay ang ating pambansang kamao,” Valte said.

In a recent interview, President Benigno S. Aquino III said he wants Pacquiao to hang his gloves soon so that he could enjoy the fruits of his labor and the company of his family.

The congressman, he said, has done enough to bring honor to the country.

“For Congressman Pacquiao, alam namin talagang buong-buo ang iyong loob, at buong-buo ang suporta ng buong sambayanan para sa iyo,” Valte said.

Mayweather and Pacquiao weighed in at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Friday (Saturday in Manila), as 11,500 fans watched ahead of the most lucrative fight in boxing history. The bout is set to generate an estimated USD 400 million.

The pair will fight for the World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight titles.