Manny Pacquiao talks to the members of the international media at the Wild Card Gym. ABAC CORDERO
HOLLYWOOD – Everything Manny Pacquiao does from hereon could be his last as a boxer, whose rags-to-riches story the world has learned to love.
It’s always his last this or that.
“Maybe it’s my last time to run up the Hollywood sign,” said Pacquiao, the only boxer in history to win world titles in eight different weight divisions.
Pacquiao got up early Wednesday for his road work. Being a non-sparring day, he worked harder on the Bronson Canyons up the huge Hollywood sign.
It could be his last.
Pacquiao is in the final days of his training for his April 9 clash with American Timothy Bradley. After the fight, he will have to decide whether he’d retire or continue fighting.
Wednesday’s media day at the Wild Card Gym could also be his last as well.
Reporters started asking him questions like, “What would you miss most in boxing once you retire?” or “How would you like to be remembered?”
“I will miss Bob Arum,” said Pacquiao of his promoter, who sat by him as he faced questions from members of the press. His answer drew some laughter.
How he would like to be remembered, Pacquiao said, “I want you to remember me not only as a good person inside the ring but outside the ring.”
Pacquiao’s welterweight clash with Bradley will be their third since 2012. On paper, they’re dead even at one apiece. In the eyes of many, Pacquiao is up, 2-0.
“I hope this fight provides the answer to all the questions,” Pacquiao said just days ago.
“But this is one of the most important fights in my life. There are a lot of reasons why this is important. I don’t need to tell you,” he said.
Pacquiao, of course, wants to go out with a bang, the kind of bang that has made him the face of boxing for some time some years back.
He said he’s looking to knock Bradley out this time when in their first two fights, all of 24 rounds, he failed to even put the 32-year-old American down.
“Honestly, in my heart, if there’s a knockout, why not? That’s good for me. But what’s in my mind right now is to win convincingly. If I have the chance to finish,” he said.
Pacquiao hasn’t knocked anybody out in seven years, and he’s hoping that this time, he could.
“I will do my best. In my heart I want to win convincingly,” he said.
Farewell fight: Maybe yes, maybe no – #JHedzWorlD
No comments:
Post a Comment