By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse
Manny Pacquiao has been a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live three times, been the subject of large, covers or front pages features in Time Magazine, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and ESPN's Body Issue -- the latter along with athletes such as Dwight Howard and Serena Williams.
Pacquiao also has been named among Time Magazine's Top 25 People Who Mattered in 2009, being listed alphabetically directly behind the United States' first African American president, Barack Obama.
The 31-year-old Pacquiao (51-3-2, 38 knockouts) has earned seven titles in as many different weight divisions, the current WBO welterweight (147 pounds) crown, been named Fighter Of The Year in 2008, 2009, and, for 2010, as well as Fighter Of The Decade, and been voted in as a congressman for the Sarangani Province in his native Philippines in May.
But on Sunday, Pacquiao will be featured on 60 Minutes, where he told reporter, Bob Simon, that his primary concern is politics.
"I already achieved my goals in boxing, my dreams in boxing," said Pacquiao. "What I want to achieve more is in public service. I want to be a champion there."
This news comes on the eve of perhaps the most difficult fight of Pacquiao's career.
For on Nov. 13, Pacquiao will make his second appearance at the Dallas Cowboys' Stadium, where he will pursue an eighth crown against 32-year-old former world champion, Antonio Margarito (38-6, 27 KOs) in an HBO pay per view televised, Top Rank Promotions clash for the WBC's junior middleweight (154 pounds) belt.
Last Friday, Oct. 29, Pacquiao broke training to fly to Las Vegas, where he campaigned at a rally for democratic senator Harry Reid, who was voted in for another term.
But the political distractions in general, and that trip, in particular, concern Pacquiao's Four-Time Trainer of The Year, Freddie Roach.
"I'm worried about it. Yes, I'm walking around at two in the morning," said Roach, who believes that Pacquiao has not been 100 percent as focused as he has been for past fights. "Something is not right, and we are not preparing the way we should for this fight."
Against Margarito, who stands 5-foot-11 to his nearly 5-7, Pacquiao will be after his 13th straight victory, and his ninth knockout during that run.
Pacquiao's last loss was in March of 2005 to Mexico's Erik Morales, whom he has since twice beaten by knockout.
Could Pacquiao lose for the first time in more than five years to Margarito?
"If he keeps on the road he's going," said Roach, "yes."
Asked by Simon if he believes that he is the best fighter in the world, pound-for-pound, and, perhaps, the best ever,
Pacquiao answered to the affirmative.
"Of course, it is me," said Pacquiao.
Top Rank Promotions' CEO, Bob Arum, agrees, adding that Pacquiao may be better even than Muhammad Ali, for whom he promoted 26 fights.
"Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter that I have ever seen," said Arum, whose nearly 43 years in the sport include having promoted Ali, every fight of Marvelous Marvin Hagler's career, substantial portions of those of Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr., and also, the comeback of George Foreman.
Is Pacquiao better than Ali?
"Yes he is, because Ali was essentially a one-handed fighter," said Arum. "Manny Pacquiao really shocks these fighters because he hits equally hard from the left side and the right side."
Pacquiao will also be featured in a segment on our new Web show, "60 Minutes Overtime."
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
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