Pacquiao draws extra inspiration from mom
Agence France-Presse
First Posted 11:49:00 04/30/2009
Filed Under: Sport, Boxing, Pacquiao, Family
LAS VEGAS – Dionisia Pacquiao finally came to the United States with her son Manny for one of his mega-fights, but the mother of the Filipino superstar boxer still can't bring herself to watch him fight.
Manny Pacquiao tries to match a boxing record and become world champion in his sixth weight class on Saturday by beating England's Ricky Hatton, but his mom cannot bear to see Manny trading punches from ringside.
"She is scared to watch it live," Pacquiao said. "To have her here, it's going to give me more inspiration to do my best and win. It's going to be one of the best times I've had in my life."
Dionisia Pacquiao plans to pray for her son while he is in the ring.
"I'm not scared," she said through a translator. "I'm confident he's going to win. Manny is going to go all the way."
Pacquiao, who grew up in a farming family, built a house for his mother near his own in the Philippines. His mother has avoided joining her son on prior trips over health issues as well as to make certain his return was perfect.
"I wasn't feeling too well and also I wanted to take care of everything at home so it was ready when Manny got home," she said. "I love the United States. It's wonderful. I have wanted to come here for a long time."
Pacquiao, who has starred in Filipino action movies and spoken about running for Congress in his homeland next year, pleased his mother the most by learning the lessons she taught of humility and generosity.
"It's the way he processes everything, humbly and with kindness," she said.
Pacquiao always says that his main goal from fights is to bring happiness and entertain the people of his homeland and fight for Filipino pride.
"I will do my best to give a good show," Pacquiao said.
What "PacMan" rarely talks about are the gifts he provides for poor people in his homeland.
"Everyone knows what life is like in the Philippines," he said. "I'm just trying to do anything to give happiness – food, clothes – and go out to help people have a better way of life."
The 30-year-old southpaw remains a bettors' favorite over Hatton, the brawling British "Hitman" who hopes to claim Pacquiao's world recognized "pound-for-pound" champion's crown for himself.
