Pacquiao, pormal na inihayag ang pagreretiro.
LAS VEGAS – Marubdob ang hangarin ni Manny Pacquiao na maipanalo ang duwelo laban kay Timothy Bradley Jr., hindi dahil sa posibilidad na ito na kanyang huling laban, bagkus dahil sa pagnanais na mabigyan ng kasiyahan ang mga Pinoy at karangalan ang bansa sa isa pang pagkakataon.
“It is very important to get the win for my country and the people in the Philippines,” pahayag ni Pacquiao sa final news conference ng kanilang ‘trilogy’ ni Bradley sa Sabado (Linggo sa Manila), sa MGM Grand Garden Arena sa Las Vegas.
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“This is my last fight,” paniniguro ni Pacman.
Kung tunay na isasabit na niya ang gloves, hindi na rin manghihinayang pa ang kampo ng eight-division world champion dahil garantisado ang US$20 milyon na papasok sa bank account ni Pacquiao.
Mariing itinatanggi ng Top Rank, promosyon ni Pacquiao, na hindi pa ito ang huli para sa Pinoy champ, subalit, muling iginiit ng Sarangani Congressman na tatapusin na niya ang matikas na career na kinatampukan ng walong division championship na maituturing na kasaysayan sa boxing.
Iginiit ni Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs) na ang panalo kay Bradley ang tuluyang sesemento sa moog niyang boxing career, gayundin ang makabawi mula sa nakadidismayang laban kay Floyd Mayweather, Jr. sa nakalipas na taon na nabalot sa kontrobersya at alinlangan magpahanggang ngayon.
Inamin din ni Pacquiao na ang panalo kay Bradley ay tapik sa balikat para sa kanyang pagtakbo sa pagkasenador sa Mayo 9.
“Yes, a victory against Bradley is a victory for me in the Senate,” sambit ni Pacquiao, patungkol sa katanungan na may malaking impact ang panalo sa kanyang pagtatangka na mahalal bilang senador.
Sinabi naman ni Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KOs) na anuman ang maging resulta ng kanilang laban ni Pacman, naniniwala siyang mananalo bilang senador ng Pilipinas ang kanyang karibal.
“I read something the other day that someone said Manny Pacquiao, in order to win his campaign, that he has to win this fight,” sambit ni Bradley.
“I think that is baloney. I think that is garbage. Honestly, I don’t think this fight has anything to do with what this man has shown to the Filipino people. To lose a fight or whatever happens, and not get what he rightfully deserves? Everything he has done for the Philippines, for the Filipino people, he is truly, truly to me the only one out there that is going to do right for the Filipino people. You all need to get it right.”
Mistulang alamat ang kababaang loob at malasakit ni Pacquiao sa kanyang mahihirap na kababayan, higit sa tinubuang lalawigan kung saan nakapagtayo siya ng eskuwelahan, ospital at pabahay.
Kinatigan ni Bob Arum, promoter ni Pacquiao, ang naging pahayag ni Bradley hinggil sa kabutihan ng Pinoy champ sa kanyang mga kababayan.
“In a village close to [General Santos City] where he lives they have fisherman who went out in fishing boats every day and spent hours going out into the deep water and hours coming back because the fish, primarily tuna, are in the deep water,” pahayag ni Arum. “So if you calculate it, they spent more time going out to the deep water and coming back then they did fishing. And Manny realized that, and to the entire fishing fleet he donated outboard motors so they could cut down on the time it took to get into the fishing waters and the time it took to get back.
“In doing that he increased the livelihood of these fisherman tremendously, but he also helped the quality of their life, because they didn’t have to spend as much as they did before in pursuing their profession of fishing. So he has done great, great things. I once said facetiously, but it’s true, that the social welfare system in the Philippines is called Manny Pacquiao. So I’m really proud of what he has done in his community and his country, and I’m very, very proud of Manny Pacquiao.” (Eddie Alinea)
