Manny Pacquiao, the other day, admitted that he needs to think twice or thrice whether he would make the big jump from the boxing ring to the political arena next year.
“I really need to think about it. But as of now, I haven’t made a decision yet,” said Pacquiao, who arrived in Manila last Friday after spending a week with his family in Gen. Santos City.
Talks about Pacquiao’s possible retirement from boxing, and his plans to run for vice mayor of Manila in May 2007 moved around town Thursday, creating excitement for some and apprehension for others.
Fanning the reports about Pacquiao’s political plans was his filing of a transfer of residency from Gen. Santos City to Manila where he owns a condominium unit.
Pacquiao quietly went to the Commission on Elections office July 5 to file the transfer of his residency. Ali Atienza, son of Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, accompanied the boxer to the Comelec.
If he runs, it’s almost impossible for Pacquiao to lose.
But Pacquiao, who spent Friday afternoon rehearsing for a mini-concert the following day, said joining politics is not his top priority at the moment.
“Right now, I’m still concentrating on my boxing career,” he said.
“But regarding politics, I have to think about it whether it’s good for me or whether it can give me the chance to help our country. As of now, there’s no decision yet,” he added.
Pacquiao is just wrapping up some off-the-ring commitments before he plunges back into training for his Nov. 18 battle with Erik Morales at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao, according to Ramos, will start training on the third or fourth week of August. First stop of the training is Cebu City. Then it shifts to the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles early September.
Once he arrives in the US, there’ll be no turning back for Pacquiao. It’ll be eight full weeks of training to be interrupted just a day or two when he travels to Vegas to watch the Barrera-Juarez title bout on Sept. 16.
For his third and decisive bout with Morales, Pacquiao will be guaranteed $2.5 million or roughly P127 million. The Filipino boxer received $1.75 and $2 million in his first two fights with Morales.
Ramos stressed that the $2.5 million is the least Pacquiao could get since he also has a 50-50 share with Morales on the fight earnings from television, pay-per-view, tickets and merchandise.
Pacquiao’s gross earnings for the Nov. 18 fight are expected to go beyond $4 million.
With all this money, Pacquiao can even run for higher office in the future — and win. But first things first. He needs to win in Vegas.
