Sen. Manny Pacquiao has genuine plans of becoming the new boxing boss even as the Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines is in the process of expediting the election of officers following the disastrous showing of two fighters in the Rio Olympics.
ABAP executive director Ed Picson has yet to meet with Abap president Ricky Vargas, who announced last week that he is stepping down as head of the Abap to give way to new leadership.
But Picson has yet to confer with Vargas, who is currently in Hong Kong on business, and will only be back next week.
To know the pulse of Pacquiao, who is being eyed to take over the ABAP, Picson went to see the eight-division champion at the Senate on Tuesday afternoon.
“We only got to speak for a short moment,” said Picson, noting that Pacquiao asked him about the programs of the ABAP.
Picson told Pacquiao, the Senate committee chairman on sports, that the ABAP executed all its programs.
“We just fell short (in the Olympics),” said Picson, who arrived in Manila from Brazil over the weekend.
Pacquiao is an ABAP board member and is eligible to run for president in case Vargas sets the date of the elections within the year.
Last week, informed about the Rio debacle that befell light-fly Rogen Ladon and lightweight Charly Suarez, Pacquiao told TEMPO that he will not hesitate to succeed Vargas.
Pacquiao, who had a not-so-stellar amateur career before becoming a legend in the professional ranks, insists that there are many deserving fighters.
“Maraming magagaling sa Mindanao,” said Pacquiao, pointing to his homeland as a conveyor belt of talent.
Pacquiao is surrounded by legitimate boxing men with solid pedigree, including members of his training team and even buddy Gerry Peñalosa.
Picson believes that an election should be held in the next few months but is unsure whether the group of Manny V. Pangilinan, who also controls Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, will also try to handpick new officers.
