Manny
Pacquiao is not only fighting for the unified world welterweight
championship, supremacy over Floyd Mayweather and upwards of $120
million.
Nor
is he just raising his hands in a quest for the Holy Grail of boxing,
that mythical title of greatest pound-for-pound fighter on planet Earth.
On Saturday night here in the MGM Grand Garden Arena the Pacman is fighting for the Presidency of the Philippines.
Manny Pacquiao has ambitions to one day become the president of his Philippines homeland
Pacquiao fights Floyd Mayweather (left) on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas
Pacquiao delivers a speech at the presidential Malacanang palace in Manila
Pacquiao has a long-term vision to make a difference to the poorest people in his homeland
Poll
And judging by his actions this week, Pacquiao should be a shoo-in for the job.
For the 36-year-old played a part in saving countrywoman Mary Jane Veloso from the firing squad in Indonesia.
Veloso
was sentenced to death in October 2011 after being convicted of drug
trafficking. The 30-year-old mother of two was caught in April 2010 at
Yogyakarta Airport in Indonesia with 2.6kg of heroin and was due to be
executed along with eight other prisoners on Tuesday.
But
after a personal plea for clemency from Pacquiao and the intervention
of Philippines president Benigno Aquino, she was handed a last-minute
reprieve while the other eight were shot. The boxer’s statement to the
Indonesian leader read: ‘His Excellency, President Joko Widodo, I am
Manny Pacquiao.
‘On
behalf of Mary Jane Veloso, and the entire Filipino people, I am
begging and knocking on your kind heart that Your Excellency will grant
executive clemency to her.
‘Mr
President, on May 2 I’ll be fighting in Las Vegas, Nevada, against
Floyd Mayweather. It is considered the fight of the century. It will be a
great morale booster if, in my own little way, I can save a life. I am
dedicating this fight to my country and the entire Asian people, to
which the Philippines and Indonesia belong. Thank you, Mr President.’
How
much of a factor Pacquiao’s passionate plea was in saving Veloso is up
for debate, but he is a national icon and political representative in
the Philippines.
Congressman
Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao, representative of the province of
Sarangani, is diplomatic at the moment to the point of being coy about
that ambition but that is where his future will lie if he defeats
Mayweather in the 'Fight of the Century'.
Of that, those most vitally responsible for his boxing career are in no doubt.
Freddie
Roach, freshly honoured for the seventh time as Trainer of the Year,
says: ‘Manny wins, he will be President of his country.’
Bob
Arum, his Hall of Fame promoter, says: ’Win or lose he is a shoe-in to
be elected Senator next year and once he beats Mayweather nothing can
stop him becoming President in due course.’
The PacMan himself, out of both humility and respect for the system, demurs: ‘It is too early to think about that.’
Now
36, he will indeed be too young next year to contest the highest
office, for which the age of eligibility is 40. However, he is qualified
for election to the Philippines Senate next summer, then to run for the
Presidency in 2022.
And behind his courteous observance of protocol, Pacquiao’s key campaign slogans are already in place.
His appeal to the under-privileged majority of the 100 million population shines through these two messages:
‘I come from the dirt, like you.’
‘I will give the wealth of the Philippines to the people, not the politicians.’
Since he already donates a large proportion of his own hard-fought money to the poor, they believe him implicitly.
Fans of the fighter in Las Vegas wave flags calling for Pacquiao to be elected President
Pacquiao trains in front of the Filipino flag at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles
Pacquiao whips up his fans, the ones lucky enough to be in Vegas anyway, at the Mandalay Bay Hotel
Filipino dancers were part of the entertainment during the fan rally for Pacquiao in Las Vegas this week
Manny Pacquiao recorded his own song for when he takes to the ring for his fight with Floyd Mayweather
A special commemorative stamp bearing the Filipino icon has been released in his homeland
This man, Johnny Dagami, makes a living as a Manny Pacquiao lookalike in Manila
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