Connect with us

Headline

ABAP remains hopeful Pacquiao will consider Rio Olympics

Published

on

People's Champ and Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao.  (Photo: Chris Farina/Manny Pacquiao Facebook Page)

People’s Champ and Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao.
(Photo: Chris Farina/Manny Pacquiao Facebook Page)

MANILA – The Association of Boxing of Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) is still hoping that boxing superstar and now Senator-elect Manny Pacquiao will consider fighting in the forthcoming 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in Brazil.

“Hopefully, Manny says yes,” ABAP executive director Ed Picson said on Friday in a press statement after meeting with Pacquiao at his Forbes residence last Wednesday.

Picson said Pacquiao has until May 27 to make up his mind. The date was the deadline for the submission of entries for the final AIBA Open-Olympic qualifying boxing event in Baku, Azerbaijan next month.

The ABAP official said while flag and country remain irresistible drawing factors for Pacquiao, the boxing champion nonetheless wants to get the general public’s view if it would be prudent for him to return to the ring a day after he was proclaimed senator by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“He’s concerned with what the people will say,” said Picson.

Picson said there are two ways Pacquiao could get to Rio: through a wildcard invitation to be issued by the International Boxing Federation (AIBA) and via an Olympic qualifying event.

“We’ll find out once Manny decides,” Picson said.

Pacquiao was a personal guest of AIBA president Dr. Wu Ching-kuo during the World Championship in Doja, Qatar last October, and it was there that the offer to fight in the Olympics was reportedly relayed, an idea that apparently appealed to Pacquiao.

Pacquiao’s recent rematch with Timothy Bradley and the rigorous national campaign that followed left Pacquiao with no time to weigh the proposal, however – until now.

online pharmacy buy pepcid with best prices today in the USA

In recent TV interviews after his official proclamation, Pacquiao said he was giving the matter serious thought.

“Sa Olympics, pinagiisipan nating mabuti ‘yan.

online pharmacy buy kamagra oral jelly with best prices today in the USA

Gusto ko ngang tanungin ang sambayanan Pilipino kung papayag sila, kasi August ang Olympics e tapos mag-iistart na ang trabaho ko,” he said. “Baka sabihin na naman kasi, umpisa pa lang ng trabaho tapos absent na naman ako.”

Pacquiao also gave this assurance: “Pero ito talaga pag ginawa ko para sa bayan lang. Walang pera-pera ito. Iaalay ko ito bilang pasasalamat sa bansa.”

Pacquiao has an impressive professional boxing career, becoming the only boxer to win eight titles in eight different weight divisions.

The Philippines has yet to win its first ever Olympic gold medal and boxing is one of the sports that have a good chance to end quest for Olympic gold.

The country’s highest achievements in Olympics were two silver medals courtesy of two boxers – Anthony Villanueva in 1964 Tokyo Olympics and Mansueto ‘Onyok’ Velasco in the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Maria in Vancouver

Lifestyle3 days ago

Nobody Wants This…IRL (In Real Life)

Just like everyone else who’s binged on Netflix series, “Nobody Wants This” — a romcom about a newly single rabbi...

Lifestyle1 week ago

Family Estrangement: Why It’s Okay

Family estrangement is the absence of a previously long-standing relationship between family members via emotional or physical distancing to the...

Lifestyle2 months ago

Becoming Your Best Version

By Matter Laurel-Zalko As a woman, I’m constantly evolving. I’m constantly changing towards my better version each year. Actually, I’m...

Lifestyle2 months ago

The True Power of Manifestation

I truly believe in the power of our imagination and that what we believe in our lives is an actual...

Maria in Vancouver3 months ago

DECORATE YOUR HOME 101

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Our home interiors are an insight into our brains and our hearts. It is our own collaboration...

Maria in Vancouver3 months ago

Guide to Planning a Wedding in 2 Months

By Matte Laurel-Zalko Are you recently engaged and find yourself in a bit of a pickle because you and your...

Maria in Vancouver4 months ago

Staying Cool and Stylish this Summer

By Matte Laurel-Zalko I couldn’t agree more when the great late Ella Fitzgerald sang “Summertime and the livin’ is easy.”...

Maria in Vancouver5 months ago

Ageing Gratefully and Joyfully

My 56th trip around the sun is just around the corner! Whew. Wow. Admittedly, I used to be afraid of...

Maria in Vancouver5 months ago

My Love Affair With Pearls

On March 18, 2023, my article, The Power of Pearls was published. In that article, I wrote about the history...

Maria in Vancouver6 months ago

7 Creative Ways to Propose!

Sometime in April 2022, my significant other gave me a heads up: he will be proposing to me on May...