Manila: World champion pugilist Manny Pacquiao discovered he had more to do than carry a fight after his slender yet combative rival Darlene Antonino-Custodio sealed the issue in their congressional slugfest in a southern Philippines constituency.
Pro-administration candidate Pacquiao, an iconic 130-pound super featherweight champion was pitted against 90-pound Custodio in one of the most eagerly anticipated contests in the May 14 mid-term elections but early tabulation of votes showed a decisive lead for the latter.
Two days after the polls, Custodio, 32, led Pacquiao, 28, by more than 15,000 votes after the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) accounted for 75 per cent of the voting precincts in South Cotabato.
