EDITOR?S NOTE: Passaic?s Glen Tapia returned Friday from the Philippines, where he spent a month helping Manny Pacquiao prepare for his Nov. 13 fight against Antonio Margarito at Cowboys Stadium.
Tapia, who will fight Saturday night in Atlantic City, has agreed to terms on a four-year promotional contract with Top Rank Inc., which promotes Pacquiao and welcomed Tapia as a guest at a news conference Tuesday at the Friars Club.
NEW YORK ? It?s hard to take a step up in boxing to get great opportunities. It?s a tough business. For me to have had an experience like this with Manny Pacquiao, it?s the best thing that could?ve happened to my career. It was a great experience.
I learned a lot from Manny in and out of the ring. You?ve got to be a role model for the kids. You?ve got to be good for all the people who want to be like you and want you to do well and be a good person.
Now I?ve got to put my work in. I?m not living Pacquiao?s life. I?m living my life. I want to go where he is, so I?ve got to train hard and fight hard to get there.
I?m not Pacquiao, so I?ve got to get in the gym and put on my shoes every day, just like I always did, to make sure I do what I need to do. I?ve got to do my best all the time to get where I want to be in boxing.
It was cool just to see how Manny acts and how everybody looks up to him in the Philippines. People there want to be like him.
Now I see in my neighborhood that certain kids want to be like me and kids are listening to what I say. I?ve got a responsibility to play that role for them. That?s very important to me.
