Philippine Senator and boxing legend Manny Pacquiao is not ruling out the possibility that he may become the country’s president someday.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, which was published on January 22, Pacquiao said that he has no plans to run for the highest office at the moment.
“Do you want to run for president of your country?” Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated asked.
“Right now I don’t have a plan to run for president,” Pacquiao said.
“But if that comes calling, why not?” he added.
Pacquiao expects to be at the Senate soon.
“There are a lot of bills that need to pass,” he said. “We just passed the tobacco tax increase. That was very important. The government needs the extra money. I passed a bill for the protection of overseas workers.
“I want to start a Philippine boxing commission,” Pacquiao continued. “We need protections, proper requirements to help fighters. I want to make ROTC mandatory. We need more soldiers. Not only for wars, but for dealing with disasters.”
On January 19, Pacquiao defended his WBA welterweight title against American boxer Adrien Broner in Las Vegas.
He was also asked by Sports Illustrated why he is still fighting.
“I’m passionate about the sport,” Pacquiao said. “It’s why I’m still here. [If I retired] I’d have no problem with money. I’m blessed by God. I just want to fight.”
In a post-fight interview on the ring after defeating Broner, Pacquiao issued a challenge to Floyd Mayweather, who defeated him in 2015.
“Tell him (Floyd Mayweather) to come back to the ring and we will fight. I’m willing to fight again Floyd Mayweather if he’s willing to come back to boxing,” Pacquiao told Showtime’s Jim Gray in a post-fight interview.
Pacquiao repeated the challenge in his interview with Sports llustrated.
“He came into my dressing room before, said good luck. I’m still here in boxing. I want to fight the best fighters out there. If he cannot fight on my level, he better stay retired,” Pacquiao said about Mayweather.
Mayweather hasn’t fought since August 2017, when he defeated UFC star Conor McGregor.
On December 31, 2018, he collected $9 million after beating Tenshin Nasukawa in the first round of a three-round exhibition in Japan.
Sports Illustrated asked Pacquiao when he plans to fight again.
“May or June. I have to balance training with my work in the Senate,” Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao’s victory over Broner was his 61st win in his career.