Former senator and Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao paid a courtesy call on President Ferdinand ”Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in Malacañang on Thursday.
Pacquiao told reporters that he presented his WBC belt to the President and he also gave him boxing gloves as a gift.
”Nandito tayo para magpresent sa kanya ng ating WBC belt saka ‘yung gloves na regalo din natin sa kanya,” Pacquiao said.
(We are here to present our WBC belt and the gloves, which we gave as a gift.)
Earlier this month, Pacquiao, who was a rival of Marcos in the 2022 presidential polls, was named as the no. 1 rated boxer in the welterweight division, according to the ratings released by the World Boxing Council.
Pacquiao, who previously retired from the sport in 2021, returned to the ring after four years to face Mario Barrios. He was also recently inducted to the Boxing Hall of Fame.
In July, Barrios, the WBC welterweight champion, retained his world title after a 12-round fight with the 46-year-old Pacquiao via a 115-113 Barrios, 114-114, 114-114 majority draw at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA Integrated News