So politicised is the world of modern boxing, Manny Pacquiao has decided to have a crack at public office for real.
The explosive, universally-recognised super-featherweight world champion takes on unbeaten Mexican Jorge Solis in San Antonio on Saturday.
And as soon as that battle is fought, the ‘Pac-man’ will immediately switch focus to the May 14 polls in which he is standing as a Congressional candidate in his native Philippines.
Last month the General Santos City native’s lawyer Franklin Gacal submitted Pacquiao’s certificate of candidacy to run in South Cotabato.
Pacquiao has long toyed with the idea of running for office, largely due to his unrivalled popularity in his homeland where he comfortably transcends the sport and attracts television audiences of 10s of millions to watch his fights.
In the elections he will pit himself against Darlene Antonino-Custodio, who currently holds office.
The 28-year-old southpaw, also lumbered with complications over his trainer – Freddie Roach is concentrating on readying Oscar de la Hoya for his clash with Floyd Mayweather next month – insists the campaign will not affect his preparations for Solis.
“I’m very focused on training and on my coming fight. I have a lot of people in the Philippines working my campaign and know how to campaign for Manny Pacquiao while I’m away training,” he said.
“I’m still continuing with my boxing career and still fighting because that’s my job. Boxing is my job and that’s my sport.
“I’m very confident that I can manage both.
“It’s my own decision (to run) from my heart – my decision from my heart to help the poor people, to help my countrymen.
“I have a good plan – I am running because I have a good plan for the people of South Cotabato in district one, to help the people because there’s a lot of people who are poor, and they need my help and because there are some politicians in my place that are always promising – promising, and they didn’t do anything. So, there are a lot of people that need help.”
