NAIS patunayan ni eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao na hindi pa siya laos sa pagdepensa sa mas batang si Aussie Jeff Horn sa Hulyo 2 sa Brisbane, Australia.

Kumpiyansa si Pacquiao na matatalo niya walang gurlis na si Horn na ranked No. 2 sa WBO at IBF upang patunayan na kaya niyang pagsabayin ang boksing at pagiging mambabatas.

"(I want) to defend my crown and prove that I'm still there in boxing, despite of my ambitions in office as a senator," pahayag ni Pacquiao sa panayam ng BoxingScene.com. "I'm still handling my boxing career. I'm still there.

I'm not done yet in boxing."

Akari Sports wala pang balak pasukin ang PBA

Unang naging kampeon si Pacquiao sa flyweight division bago siya mag-20-anyos noong Disyembre 1998 at natamo ang pito pang kampeonato hanggang sa super welterweight division na mahirap nang pantayan kaya nakatitiyak siya ng lugar sa Hall of Fame sa panahon ng pagreretiro.

"Boxing is my passion. I started when I was young - it's part of my life," sabi ni Pacquiao. "It depends on how you discipline yourself, how you train and prepare yourself. It's a matter of discipline."

Nagretiro si Pacquiao matapos talunin si dating WBO welterweight beltholder Timothy Bradley ng United States noong Mayo 9, 2015 pero nagbalik sa lona upang agawin kay Mexican American Jessie Vargas ang WBO welterweight diadem sa sagupaang ginanap sa Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ipagtatanggol niya ang WBO welterweight title laban kay Horn sa harap ng tinatayang 55,000 boxing fans sa Suncorp Stadium sa Brisbane.

"I'm not going to predict the fight but I will do my best to entertain the fans," diin ng Pinoy boxer. "I'm very excited to fight here, I've fought a lot of fighters in the (United) States. This is new, I'm excited. I can't wait for the fight."

"I don't know much about him (Horn) but I know he's a fighter,” dagdag ni Pacquiao. “I haven't watched his fights yet but I'm going to get his last three fights and watch them." (Gilbert Espeña)