Manny to promote boxing in China

BRISBANE – WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao said yesterday he has been invited by the Chinese government to co-promote a major fight card, possibly in Beijing, in late September or early October and agreed to assist in staging the event if only to foster stronger diplomatic ties between the Philippines and China.  

Pacquiao mentioned the plan to WBO president Francisco Valcarcel who paid a call on the fighting Filipino senator in his Opera Suite on the 28th floor of the Sofitel Hotel here.  Pacquiao said he’d like to arrange several WBO international or regional title fights with Valcarcel’s blessings.

“There are 1.4 billion people in China,” said Pacquiao. “If we’re able to tap this market for boxing, it will be a big boost to the sport.  My idea is to showcase the talents of Chinese boxers who will fight for WBO belts against opponents from all over the world, including the Philippines.” Pacquiao said it would be an honor if Valcarcel could attend the event.

A fighter whom Pacquiao will reach out to is WBO flyweight champion Zou Shiming who’s slated to put his crown on the line against Japan’s Sho Kimura in Shanghai on July 28. When Zou made his pro debut in 2013, 300 million TV viewers witnessed the action – a clear indication of his popularity in the Mainland.  Zou used to be promoted by Top Rank and is now managed exclusively by his wife YingYing Ran.

 Valcarcel said he will assign WBO Asia/Pacific chairman Leon Panoncillo to coordinate with Pacquiao in making the event happen. Pacquiao said representatives of the Chinese government visited him recently in the Senate to bring up the proposal. 

Sen. Vicente (Tito) Sotto was in Pacquiao’s suite when Valcarcel came. Sotto planed in that morning from Manila to attend Pacquiao’s fight against Australian challenger Jeff Horn at the Suncorp Stadium on Sunday. It will be Sotto’s third Pacquiao fight to watch at ringside after the Juan Manuel Marquez rematch in Las Vegas in 2008 and the Chris Algieri massacre in Macau in 2014. Sotto’s daughter Ciara sang the National Anthem in the 2008 bout. Sotto, in his fourth term, has never been late or absent for sessions since his first election in 1992 and is here while the Senate is in recess.

Sotto said whether or not Pacquiao should continue fighting will depend on his performance against Horn. “If Manny fights the way he did in beating (Jessie) Vargas last November, he could go two or three more years,” said Sotto. There are plans for Pacquiao to see action in a fight, tentatively in Dubai in November but his adviser Michael Koncz said negotiations won’t commence until after the Horn bout.

Pacquiao and Sotto had breakfast together in the fighter’s suite yesterday morning. Pacquiao had just come from jogging around the 20-hectare City Botanic Gardens. Breakfast consisted of Indian rice, salmon, chicken, beef chunks and egg tortilla. They spoke about Senate issues, politics and of course, this Sunday’s fight.

Pacquiao said he didn’t take offense when Duco Events head Dean Lonergan singled him out for texting during a press conference the other day. “I was just typing in the names of those I wanted to recognize in my talk,” said Pacquiao. “I wasn’t playing with my phone. I understand that this is the biggest boxing event ever to be staged by Duco. They’re not experienced in doing things that Top Rank does. I think Dean should just promote the fight and stay away from putting any fighter down. He’s just excited pushing for Jeff. Maybe, he should focus on promoting the fight, not promoting his fighter. As for Jeff, he seems to be a nice guy and quite respectful.”

Pacquiao said while the “Battle of Brisbane” is his last contractual promotion with Top Rank, it doesn’t mean he’ll dump Bob Arum. “I owe Bob a huge debt of gratitude for helping in my career,” said Pacquiao. “I expect to continue working with Bob for my fights.”