Manny still prefers Nike shoes despite breakup

HOLLYWOOD – Manny Pacquiao will most likely end up wearing the famous swoosh inside the ring when he battles old foe Timothy Bradley on April 9 at the MGM Grand.

Pacquiao, according to his trainer, Freddie Roach, still prefers Nike as his fighting shoes.

“I would guarantee he’d wear them for the fight. That’s what he’s used to and that’s what he likes,” Roach told Pinoy scribes Thursday afternoon.

“Why wear something you’re not comfortable with?” the American trainer said.

The boxing icon from Saranggani has worn Nike products for over 10 years. But because of his controversial comments on same-sex marriage over a month ago, the top sports apparel company cut its ties with the Filipino celebrity.

It means that Pacquiao is no longer a Nike endorser. But it doesn’t mean that the eight-division champion can’t wear Nike if he wants to.

He still wears Nike shoes inside the ring although he now favors wearing Under Armour shirts saying, “I Can Do All Things.”

Pacquiao wears Under Armour shoes when he’s out running but still uses Nike slippers to and from the gym.

Roach wears Under Armour, and just recently, he said the firm based in Baltimore sent him 22 pairs of shoes.

“Never had so many pairs in my whole life. Now, that’s the first decision I make in the morning – which one to wear,” he said.

While most members of Team Pacquiao have switched to other brands, most of them Under Armour, there are still a handful wearing Nike.

A team member said Pacquiao’s fighting shorts will be adorned with the same advertisements, costly ones, but not the Nike logo.

“You will see the same brands in the shorts,” he said.

When he started training for the Bradley fight in General Santos City early February, Pacquiao came out one day wearing Mizuno fighting shoes.

Roach said Pacquiao was given a few pairs of the Japanese brand, in different sizes, for him to try. But it did not last long for him to switch back to his old brand.

Roach said he doesn’t care which brand Pacquiao carries inside the ring as long as he’s comfortable with it.

“He’s wearing the shoes that he’s comfortable with,” said Roach.

It’s the one with the swoosh.