by ALEX P. VIDAL
CALGARY, Canada – Top Rank boss Bob Arum will not interfere in the political career of newly crowned World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao.
The 77-year-old Arum made it clear he will not even discourage Pacquiao from pursuing his congressional bid in Mindanao in the May 2010 elections even if he would be preparing for his next fight within that period.
"I won’t be his political campaign manager. I will have nothing to do whatsoever with his political career," Arum said in Las Vegas, Nevada several hours after Pacquiao snatched Miguel Angel Cotto’s title with a 12th round technical knockout win.
Pacquiao will pick up the cudgels of his 2007 congressional defeat to Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio in Cotabato and is reportedly preparing a campaign war chest of about half a billion pesos against a rival, the Chiongbian family.
Pacquiao admitted that a lot of people have discouraged him from pursuing his political dream to focus in boxing but explained in Pilipino that "it is my desire to really serve the people."
He has filed his certificate of candidacy last week for Congressman on May 10, 2010 election.
In his preparations against Cotto, Pacquiao, who will turn 31 on December 17, trained only for more or less 60 days mostly in Baguio City where his stint was interrupted by super typhoon.
In his next fight, sources said it might be held in March or two months before the elections in the Philippines in order to give him a wide media mileage.
Arum ruled out New York City as venue for the Filipino southpaw’s next fight owing to the taxes that he will have to pay in the premier state. Aside from paying the IRS, Arum said Pacquiao will have to cough another tax for the state as host of a championship bout. Either he will still next fight in the states of Nevada or Texas, Arum added.
He also ruled out former World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight titlist Edwin Valero of Venezuela as Pacquiao’s next possible foe as he cannot get a visa to enter the United States after he was deported for drunk driving.
The prominent American promoter refused to discuss further the possibility of Pacquaio facing Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in March 2010 as their first negotiations bogged down some three months ago over Mayweather’s "incredible" purse demand.
Cong. Pacquiao Can Stay In Boxing
If Manny Pacquiao wins as congressman in Saranggani Province, Mindanao next year, he can still continue with his boxing career as Philippine laws do not prohibit him from engaging in any sports activity as paid athlete and member of Congress at the same time.
What the charter requires in the May 2010 polls is for candidates to be Filipino citizens with no criminal conviction in court and must be able to read and write.
Pacquiao has basically met these requirements having been a candidate for congressman in Cotabato in 2007 where he was clobbered by Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio.
As a lawmaker, however, his boxing career will have to take a back seat for a while as the government job requires full concentration and regular attendance in committee deliberations and sessions which normally last until the morning.
The Constitution also allows an incumbent legislator to quit for health reasons and a special election would be staged to fill up the vacancy.
If Pacquiao wins as congressman, he would only be 31 years old. His itch to stay in the sports that gave him fame and fortune will certainly push him back to the gym until he probably retires for good before reaching 36.
Until he turns 36, efforts of any political party to lure him to run in the senatorial race would be futile as the Constitution requires that a candidate for senator must at least be 36 years old.
Pacquiao is now a candidate for congressman in Sarangani Province. He has replenished his political war chest with a recent haul when he stopped Miguel Angel Cotto for the WBO welterweight championship in Las Vegas, Nevada on Nov. 14.
His promoter, Bob Arum, big boss of Top Rank, hasn’t decided yet whom should Pacquiao face next tentatively in March 2010. Negotiations to entice Floyd Mayweather, Jr. has reportedly commenced. The details of the deal won’t be disclosed until everything has been finalized.
Pacquiao is the first Filipino world boxing champion to run for a congressional seat while titleholder of seven (7) major crowns. /MP
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