TOP RANK chief Bob Arum reiterated his call to Senator Manny Pacquiao—a day after declaring his intention to run in the election next year as the country’s next President—to finally forget fighting by early January for his potential fitting farewell bout.
Arum, the longtime promoter of Pacquiao from 2006 to 2017, spoke to BUSINESSMIRROR on Monday through an overseas call from his Las Vegas home, expressing his all-out support to the eight-division world champion to convince his people to vote for him.
“Forget the [boxing] fights. I think that becoming the President of the Philippines is more important than doing another fight,” Arum, 89, said, although the fighting senator hasn’t come out yet with a formal announcement whether to go for a last fight before retiring for good in professional boxing.
Arum added that he watched Pacquiao’s declaration last Sunday when he accepted the PDP [Partido Demokratiko Pilipino] Laban nomination under Senator Koko Pimentel’s wing as its standard bearer for the presidential election next year.
Arum said, Pacquiao, 42, who lost to World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight champion Yordenis Ugás last August 21 in Las Vegas, Nevada, could consider fighting if ever he loses the Presidential election next year.
“He [Pacquiao] should run for the presidency and hopefully he wins. He can’t fight anymore. I think he should concentrate on getting elected president,” Arum added. “And if unfortunately he loses, then he could consider one more fight. But if he wins, obviously he would be a great president.”
Arum said he would support Pacquiao’s bid of winning the biggest fight of his life—the Philippine Presidency.
“Manny is not like any other politicians. Manny believes in the people, loves the people, and wants to do what’s right for the people. He would be a splendid President of the Philippines—and he has all my support, moral and otherwise,” Arum explained.
“I am absolutely 100 percent in his corner. I hope he is successful and wins the presidency. It would be great to the Filipino people,” Arum said, adding that US President Joe Biden and Pacquiao would definitely have a great relationship.
“I think they are both decent,” he said. “I will be behind him.”