Newly crowned World Boxing Council (WBC) International Super featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao on Monday gave his heartfelt thanks to the Filipino people for their support.
In an interview over DZMM, Pacquiao said he is the happiest man alive after beating Mexican slugger Hector Velasquez and winning the WBC plum.
“Siguro po sa feeling ko po ako na yata ang pinakamasayang tao sa buong mundo dahil unang una naibangon ko yung pangalan ko at nakapagbigay na naman ako ng karangalan sa bansa natin (I feel that I must be the happiest person in the world because I redeemed my name and gave honor to my country),” he said.
Pacquiao added that he would not have done it without the prayers of his countrymen.
“Kahit malakas ang katawan ko, kahit nasa kondisyon ako kapag hindi niloob ng Panginoon wala ding mangyayari sa akin (Even if my body is healthy and in condition, if God is not with me, nothing would happen),” he said.
Pacquiao said it was part of his team’s strategy to start slow during the first two rounds of his fight with Velasquez.
He said Velasquez is known for fighting dirty and using a head-butt to hurt his foes.
“I was careful not to get a head-butt in the early rounds, which would give him an advantage,” Pacquiao said in Filipino.
Pacquiao scored a technical knock out against Velasquez at the sixth round of the 12-round “Double Trouble” card in the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Pacquiao cornered and battered the Mexican with a flurry of punches in the last 15 seconds of the sixth.
Referee Lou Moret counted Velasquez out after the latter knelt down following the punishment he received from Pacquiao.
The win assured Pacquiao of a rematch against Mexican boxing legend Erik Morales in January next year.
Morales received a beating from his own opponent, American Zahir Raheem, in the double bill. Raheem won the match by decision.
