GENERAL SANTOS CITY –– Watch out for the “little Pacmans.”
World boxing sensation Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao has vowed to put up his own sports program for aspiring young boxers from this city and the neighboring areas.
“I will personally help train our young boxers to become future Pacmans. I’ll make sure that they would continue the legacy of bringing honor to our city and country when I’m done with boxing,” he said in a press conference at noon here today.
Pacquiao received a hero’s welcome from residents and officials here Monday morning for knocking out his Mexican nemesis Erik Morales in Las Vegas last January 21 (January 22 morning in the Philippines).
Pacquiao said he is planning to institutionalize the boxing bouts for young boxers at the City Hall’s covered court every Sunday.
Initially, Pacquiao said he plans to help provide more training facilities for the aspiring boxers and offer a proper training program for them.
“I will discuss this project with Mayor (Pedro) Acharon to make it a priority sports initiative in the city,” he said.
The Sunday boxing bouts are being bankrolled by the city government and local boxing backers led by local businessman Rey Golingan, chief of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines.
Golingan, who was among those who supported Pacquiao early in his career, has a stable of young boxers trained at a gym located beside a family-owned hotel in barangay Lagao here.
Pacquiao, who traces his boxing roots from a weekend boxing program then held at the city plaza, said he now wants to “pay my dues.”
“I will make sure that our city will sustain its place in the world sports map through these kids. And I’m doing this because I am very proud of my roots here and I am very proud of the unwavering support that I received from everybody here,” he said.
Mayor Acharon lauded Pacquiao’s plans and promised to provide the necessary support from the city government.
“We have always opened our resources to these noble programs. I will personally make sure that it will become a successful one,” he said.
