PAQUIAO LOVE TO FIGHT RIO 2016
great Boxer Manny Pacquiao
said Wednesday it would be an honour to fight for the Philippines at this
year's Rio Olympics, where professional fighters could be allowed to compete
for the first time.
It would be
my honor to represent the country in the Olympics, Pacquiao said in a statement
to AFP
If I would be asked to represent boxing, why
not? I would do everything for my country.
The
37-year-old, one of the world's wealthiest boxers, made the comments while
training for what he said would be his last professional fight, an April 9 Las
Vegas rematch with American Timothy Bradley.
Pacquiao has posted a 57-6-2 win-loss-draw
record in a glittering 21-year pro career that began in January 1995.
AFP in
Switzerland on Monday that AIBA would vote within three months on proposals
that would allow all professional fighters to compete in the Olympic Games,
including in Rio.
said proposed changes to AIBA statutes, set to
be put to a vote at a special congress of AIBA confederations at the end of
May, could leave Olympic eligibility in the hands of the national boxing
federations.
Qualifying for the 2016 Rio summer
games that begin on August 5 is already under way, but Wu noted that there were
still opportunities for professionals to qualify.
Spokesmen
for the Philippine Olympic Committee had no comment on Pacquiao's statement.
The
37-year-old, one of the world's wealthiest boxers, made the comments while
training for what he said would be his last professional fight, an April 9 Las
Vegas rematch with American Timothy Bradley.
Pacquiao has posted a 57-6-2 win-loss-draw
record in a glittering 21-year pro career that began in January 1995.
AFP in
Switzerland on Monday that AIBA would vote within three months on proposals
that would allow all professional fighters to compete in the Olympic Games,
including in Rio.
said proposed changes to AIBA statutes, set to
be put to a vote at a special congress of AIBA confederations at the end of
May, could leave Olympic eligibility in the hands of the national boxing
federations.
Qualifying for the 2016 Rio summer
games that begin on August 5 is already under way, but Wu noted that there were
still opportunities for professionals to qualify.
