NATIONAL boxing team Coach Boy Velasco said Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao has nothing more to prove, and competing in the Olympics Games might not be a good ending to his storied career.
The congressman from Saranggani province has expressed interest to play for the Philippines in the coming Rio de Janeiro Games in Brazil and Velasco said it was a “good gesture” for the eight-division world champion.
But Pacquiao might be too busy to attend to his political affairs as he’s running for a seat in the Senate in the coming May 9 national elections.
“It is really an honor for us to have Pacquiao. He will surely give other competitors in his division a headache,” Velasco said.
No less than International Boxing Association (Aiba) Aiba President Dr. Ching Kuo Wu, who extended his invitation to Pacquiao to compete in the Olympics to give the sport the needed “turning point,” as boxing is lagging behind in terms of fielding professional athletes in the quadrennial event.
If Pacquiao pursues his intent to be part of the squad, he will be given a spot in the 64-kilogram weight class where amateur standout Dennis Galvan will be competing in the Aiba World Olympic qualification event in Azerbaijan from June 14 to 26.
But Velasco, who guided Olympic-bound Charly Suarez and Rogen Ladon in their silver-medal finishes in the Asia-Oceania Olympic qualifying tournament in Qian’An, China, last month, said Pacquiao has already contributed a lot for the country.
“All his belts and his sacrifices are more than an Olympic gold,” Velasco said. “He’s a champion. We are all proud of him. He has nothing to prove anymore.”
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) First Vice President Jose Romasanta earlier said time could be a problem to give Pacquiao the slot for the national team.
“A lot of paperworks are needed. And he [Pacquiao] is on the heat of campaigning for the upcoming elections. We want to maximize our athletes. We will focus on what we have,” Romasanta noted.
Five national athletes are officially bound for Rio de Janeiro, including Suarez and Ladon, table-tennis standout Ian Lariba and taekwondo jin Kirstie Elaine Alora. Long-jump queen Marestella Torres also got a ticket through universality clause as the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association nominated her for a wild-card spot.
The POC is still waiting for the inclusion of hurdler Eric Cray and weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz to the official Olympic list.