By Erwin Lastimosa
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Rumors have it that Manny Pacquiao is thinking about retiring after his upcoming super fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. on March 13th. I have no problem with Manny retiring, after all he’s had a long and storied career and if he beats Mayweather Jr. he can retire on top.
I honestly believe Manny has a good heart and is a one of a kind fighter and human being. In my opinion he should not divulge in Filipino politics. In politics your opponent will try to run a disgusting smear campaign against you to ruin your image. Many poorer Filipinos do not have access to computers and if they read something in the paper or see it on the news they will automatically believe what they see. In Politics the people can love you one moment and hate you the next because of smear campaigns from the opposition.
Manny Pacquiao seems to be mislead by his advisers and those politicos who have their own agenda. Manny Pacquiao is more important than any politician, he is an international icon he doesn’t need to be a congressman to help the people, look at Muhammad Ali he was the peoples champion and he did more to touch lives and influence people without running for office.
Manny has brought an entire country together when he fights and if he gets involved with politics now he is dipping his hand into something he is not familiar with.
Many politicians are trying to use Pacquiao’s fame and global name to garner them a vote or some media attention towards their campaign.
Manny Pacquiao is a man of the people unlike other Filipino celebrities he doesn’t come off with this fake, snobby personality. The sad reality is some of those celebrities and politicians who are rubbing elbows with him are the same people who would arrogantly look down upon him if he was not the most famous Filipino in the world.
Pacquiao needs better advisers not some “YES” men who are there just to collect a check but people who really will guide Manny in the right direction.
He can do more for the people and the sport by being an Ambassador for boxing. Many people around the globe can relate to his story not just the poor Filipinos who were born on the same dirty streets he once roamed as a young child but every walk of life that aspired to be something from nothing and dreamed of the impossible.
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Erwin Lastimosa is a long time boxing fan and enjoys boxing discussion with his peers. Some of his favorite fighters are Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, Muhammad Ali, Flash Elorde, Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao.