Manny a sports promoter, too

International Boxing Federation (IBF) superbantamweight champion Manny Pacquiao is following in the footsteps of the Puyats, Aranetas, and Elordes as a sports impresario. He’s putting up serious money to promote billiard tournaments and boxing cards.

It’s not to make a profit, says Pacquiao who’s content to break even. In billiards, he wants to develop world-class cue artists like Efren Reyes. In boxing, he hopes to see more fighters scale the heights, like him. Since sports gave him the chance to break out of poverty and build a bright future for his family, Pacquiao intends to create the same opportunities for his countrymen to make something out of their lives.

Pacquiao, 23, has been nominated for a Ten Outstanding Young Men award this year and is a shoo-in for the prestigious honor.

Last week, Pacquiao plunked in a total pot of P150,000 for a billiards competition in General Santos City. The top prize was a cool P80,000. Some national players flew in to compete when they heard how much was at stake, notes Pacquiao.

In December, Pacquiao will promote a boxing show featuring a triple main event in General Santos City. He’s tapping his younger brother Bobby, the Philippine superfeatherweight champion, to headline the card. Other fighters in the promotion will be his sparmates Fernando Montilla and Joeber Damosmog.

With his ring earnings, Pacquiao has invested in real estate and some business ventures. Of course, he makes sure there’s some cash set aside to take care of friends and relatives.

Take, for instance, Pacquiao’s recent fight against Fahprakorb Rakkiat-Gym in Davao City. He spent about P100,000 feeding and sheltering some 100 friends and relatives who showed up from General Santos City. Pacquiao says he’ll share his good fortune but only up to a reasonable limit because he knows the money won’t last forever.

In demolishing Fahprakorb in a single round, Pacquiao was paid an P8 million purse, mostly in cool cash, some in a manager’s check, and the balance in US dollars. When he went to business manager Rod Nazario’s hotel room after the fight to collect his part of the purse, Pacquiao didn’t realize he would walk out carrying a bag full of hard currency.

Pacquiao’s estranged parents Rosalio, 44, and Dionisia, 51, were in Davao City for the fight. His father now lives with another woman. Pacquiao takes care of his mother, who has two children from a previous relationship. Pacquiao has two younger brothers, Bobby and Rogelio, and an older sister Isidra.

Pacquiao was born in Bukidnon and grew up in General Santos City. He finished Grade 6 at the Saway Elementary School and decided to forego higher education for boxing. When he was a boy, Pacquiao imagined he would someday become a world champion like his idols Sugar Ray Leonard and Mike Tyson. At 13, he started fighting as an amateur. He racked up a 60-4 record in five years in the simon-pure ranks then a General Santos boxing agent Mrs. Parcon sent him to Polding Correa, a Malabon businessman, on a boat. It was Correa who nurtured Pacquiao in his early years as a pro. Pacquiao later signed up Marty Elorde as manager and Nazario as business manager.

With Fahprakorb out of the way, Pacquiao says he’s ready to fight for the world featherweight title. He’s even willing to move up in weight to face junior lightweight Gregorio (Goyo) Vargas, the classy Mexican who halted Cris Saluday in five rounds in the Davao City undercard.

Pacquiao insists he’s not afraid of anyone. He’ll take on Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Johnny Tapia, Tim Austin, Willie Jorrin, and Clarence (Bones) Adams if the price is right.

Nazario says Pacquiao is a hot commodity in the world market today and should be able to command a hefty purse. Under Pacquiao’s contract with US promoter Murad Muhammad, he stands to earn at least $200,000 in his next fight.

Although he mercilessly slaughtered Fahprakorb, Pacquiao says it wasn’t because he once lost to a Thai and sought revenge. The loss was to Medgeon 3-K Battery the day after he was stripped of the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight title for failing to make the 112-pound limit in 1999.

Pacquiao says it’s not up to him to take revenge. God decides the fate of all human beings, not man, he notes. "Tao lang kaming mga boksingero," he explains. "Walang samaan ng loob. Kailangan manalo kaya pinagbubutihan namin. Trabaho lang ito."

Pacquiao says what led to Fahprakorb’s defeat was his slow reflexes. He says a fighter who doesn’t hit fast and hard won’t survive the world’s top contenders, especially the warriors from Mexico.