Manila, Philippines – When boxing hero Manny Pacquiao finally calls an end to his historic career in the ring, he will have his eyes on a much bigger prize — president of the Philippines.
The world champion, who will fight American Floyd Mayweather this weekend in boxing’s richest fight, has used the fame and wealth generated by his remarkable sporting feats to launch a successful political career.
The 36-year-old former street kid is now a second-term congressman, with publicly declared ambitions eventually to conquer one of Asia’s most chaotic and corrupt democracies.
Pacquiao confirmed his presidential ambitions to AFP in 2013, but has since been coy about his political plans.
“Yes,” he said then, when asked if he wanted to be president. “(But) it’s far away… it’s God’s will.”
In the run-up to the Mayweather bout, Pacquiao’s American promoter, Bob Arum, reignited Pac-the-politician talk when he said his client had a strategy laid-out for a presidential run.
“He is going to be a president,” Arum told paparazzi website TMZ.
“He is going to run for the senate of the Philippines in 2016 and then 2022 or maybe later he’ll run for president.”
Manila Bulletin
