WORLD boxing champion Manny Pacquiao denied all allegations hurled against him following his decision to sign up with an American manager, saying he is a Filipino and will remain a Filipino.
“Pinoy na Pinoy ako (I’m a pure Filipino),” Pacquiao said in an interview with ABS-CBN aired Tuesday night.
The 26-year-old Pacquiao, a native of General Santos City, was highly criticized for signing up last week with Shelly Finkel and dropping Marty Elorde, son of former world champion Gabriel “Flash” Elorde.
Elorde’s contract with Pacquiao expired last Jan. 31.
Pacquiao reportedly signed up with Finkel in exchange of a brand new car and a house and lot, plus $300,000 cash as signing bonus.
The Filipino boxer was also accused of trying to get a green card, which was reportedly one of the deal offered by Finkel, also a former manager of Mike Tyson.
But Pacquio refuted these claims.
“Walang ibinigay sa akin. Yong sasakyan ako ang bumili n’un. Binili ko yon (I receive nothing. The car, I was the one who bought it. I bought it), Pacquiao said.
Ironically, the accusations came from the Philippine media a day after he signed up with Finkel.
Pacquiao is now in deep training at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles under famed American trainer Freddie Roach for his March 19 super featherweight clash with Erik Morales of Mexico.
The southpaw Pacquiao, who rose to prominence when he annihilated Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003, has been installed a 6-5 favorite to win the fight.
Even results from boxing websites, which conducted on-line poll on the much-anticipated bout favor the Filipino to win by a knockout.
Pacquiao is seen as a victor via a knockout by 93 percent of the 1,882 votes cast at the hardcoreboxing.net.
In the toprank.com of Bob Arum, Morales’ promoter, Pacquiao is picked to win it, getting 57 percent to his opponent’s 43 percent.
