Manny Pacquiao is willing to forgive and forget.
Appearing at the weekly PSA Forum at the Pantalan Restaurant five hours after arriving from 16-hour flight from Los Angeles, Pacquiao revealed that he is no longer keen on going after business manager Rod Nazario, who he believed conspired with US promoter Murad Muhammad in earning additional income from his fights amounting to millions of dollars.
Pacquiao’s legal counsel, Manhattan litigator Judd Burstein, in a phone patch from New York, said Team Pacquiao will only file charges against Nazario if the fighter says so.
Burstein wants Nazario, who has been with Pacquiao since 1995, be banned from engaging in boxing promotions in the Philippines.
In a bid to leave his past behind, Pacquiao has agreed to meet with Nazario today.
“Wala naman akong balak na magsampa ng kaso laban sa kanya (Nazario),” said Pacquiao. “Alam kong malaki ang naitulong niya sa aking pagsikat pero kumita rin naman siya.”
“Sasabihin ko sa kanya ang aking mga sama ng loob para ang paghihiwalay namin ay maayos.”
Pacquiao hasn’t fought since his bloody defeat to by Erik Morales last March at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and is looking forward to his much-awaited comeback bout probably against American Kevin Kelley or El Salvadoran Carlos “Famoso” Hernandez on Sept. 10 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
“Excited na nga akong bumalik sa ensayo dahil malapit na rin ang susunod na laban ko,” said Pacquiao, who was met at the airprot by his former handler, Malabon construction magnate Polding Correa.
“Manny knows the ins and outs of the fight game. He cannot be deceived because he has the desire to read and learn topics relative to his profession,” said Correa, who was Pacquiao’s manager from 1995 to 2000.
Pacquiao agreed to an out-of-court settlement with Muhammad just before a New York jury was supposed to issue its decision on the $33-million suit filed by the GenSan banger in New York.
Pacquiao is set to fly back to Los Angeles after hosting a charity golf tournament at Wack Wack on July 28. He will train at the Wild Card Boxing Club of Freddie Roach.
