Manny Pacquiao is not even a tad concerned about the opinion of a Comelec official that the Filipino fighter will suffer the consequences of airing his fight with Tim Bradley on local television on April 9 (April 10 in the Philippines).
“We’re not worried about it and it’s just a publicity gimmick,” said Pacquiao adviser Mike Koncz yesterday from General Santos City where the boxer, who is running for a Senate seat in the May 9 elections, is holding his training camp.
“Our lawyers say there’s nothing to worry about,” said Koncz.
Comelec commissioner Rowena Guanzon said that by showing the fight on Philippine TV, the 37-year-old Pacquiao will get unfair advantage over those running for office as it will give him valuable media exposure.
Pacquiao is a shoo-in in the top 12 according to surveys and his fight being shown will only boost his candidacy, the Comelec official pointed out.
Pacquiao, the congressman from the lone district of Sarangani, is running under the UNA party of vice-president Jejomar Binay, the only senatorial bet of the group that has cracked the top 12 at No. 8.
Proof that Pacquiao is not giving the issue much thought is that Koncz announced the arrival of another sparring partner today to enable Congolese-Canadian Ghislain Maduma the much-needed break from all the banging he’s been getting.
Maduma has sparred twice with Pacquiao and Koncz said Lydell Rhodes will form the mini rotation until they fly back to the US in the middle of the month for the Wild Card phase of the preparation.
“Manny’s doing well in training and he’s focused,” added Koncz.
The Pacquiao-Bradley fight won’t only be shown on US and Philippine TV but the entire world either on free broadcast, pay-per-view and closed circuit.
Pacquiao has declared that the Bradley bout, his third with the US puncher, will be his farewell fight.