HE’S a warrior inside the ring. But is Manny Pacquiao brave enough to crack the whip on shady sycophants?
The answer could be “no” as Pacquiao, said to be generous to a fault, may not be about ready to kick out so-called friends.
This, despite reports that a few of them have already pocketed millions at the height of Pacquiao’s campaign for a seat in the House of Representatives.
Pacquiao eventually lost to incumbent Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio, who will now serve a third and last term in Congress.
But personalities who are taking advantage of Pacquiao’s kindness are said to be wary of Jinky, Pacquiao’s wife, who would rather see these personalities be shipped out than give them a chance to shape up.
“What happened during the elections really irked Jinky. Though she was supportive of Manny’s desire of serving [his] constituents, she couldn’t take how the money was spent for the campaign,” said a source close to the Pacquiao family.
Jinky’s patience allegedly thinned when she learned that Pacquiao entrusted P20 million to a political associate who was supposed to finance their backers and watchers in South Cotabato.
As much as he wanted to admonish the now “distrusted ally,” Pacquiao apparently didn’t heed to better judgment.
Pacquiao easily lost as much as P70 million in personal money for his failed political bid as he got little financial help from his political party, Kampi.
Jinky will be with her husband and their two kids, who have already booked first-class tickets to New York this week. Pacquiao will stay in the US to treat his family to a much-needed break.
The 28-year-old, two-division world champion will also be in New York to receive his Edward J. Neil trophy as 2006 Fighter of the Year from the prestigious Boxing Writers Association of America.
The annual awards night is scheduled on June 8 at the Copacabana in New York.
It will actually be a busy week for Pacquiao in the Big Apple, as he will be at ringside to watch younger brother Bobby engage Mexican toughie Humberto Soto in a nontitle fight on June 9 at the Madison Square Garden.
No marquee fight yet
Pacquiao will meet Top Rank big boss Bob Arum during his US jaunt to finalize his next outing tentatively set for September.
Arum has said he has ongoing talks with the camps of former world champion Marco Antonio Barrera of Mexico, current World Boxing Organization super-featherweight champion Joan Guzman of the Dominican Republic and World Boxing Association ruler Edwin Valero of Venezuela.
There are doubts, however, that Pacquiao will get another marquee fight in September as those mentioned by Arum are exclusively fighting under Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) owned by Arum’s former ward and now bitter promotional rival Oscar de la Hoya.
The Team Pacquiao insider revealed that one of Arum’s associates is said to be actively pushing for a bout against either International Boxing Federation (IBF) 130-lb champion Mzonke Fana, or IBF featherweight kingpin Robert “the Ghost” Guerrero.
GBP and Top Rank Inc. are in the middle of a bitter legal dispute regarding the promotional rights to Pacquiao after the boxing icon signed two identical promotional deals with both outfits.
