Pacman: Climate Change Not Mayweather

MANILA, Philippines - The fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. only comes next to Manny Pacquiao’s fight against climate change.

“I’ll be okay if he doesn’t want to fight,” said Pacquiao the other day, referring to the undefeated American who can’t seem to make up his mind whether or not he wants to face the hard-hitting Filipino champion in November.

“There are other fights for me,” he added.

Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, has given the 33-year-old Mayweather until Friday (Saturday in Manila) to accept the terms which the Pacquiao camp has offered. Otherwise, life goes on for the congressman from Sarangani.

Arum said if Mayweather refuses to fight, Pacquiao may end up facing Antonio Margarito or Miguel Cotto in November, somewhere in Mexico, the Middle East or the United States.

Either fight would give Pacquiao a crack at an eighth world title in eight different weight classes. Then, Arum said, they can look at a fight with Mayweather in May next year, but that’s if the latter decides to call the fight.

Disputes with the blood-testing procedure and the sharing of the purse are standing in the way of the superfight. Then there’s Mayweather’s uncle-trainer, Roger, facing trial in August for a battery charge, and a possible prison term.

For the meantime, Pacquiao is warming up as a newly elected congressman in the lone district of his home province of Sarangani, and yesterday he spoke of his immediate plans, his fight against climate change.

Pacquiao, the only boxer in history ever to hold a congressional seat, has filed a bill, not to urge Mayweather to go ahead and fight him, but “to increase reforestation efforts” all over the country.

He knows what he’s talking about.

“These days, a little flood could already trigger landslides. Marami na tayong nakakalbong kabundukan so tama lang na alagaan natin ang ating kalikasan,” he told ABS-CBN yesterday. “Because the bill is not just for me but for everyone.”

Abac Cordero, Philippine Star