Pacquiao throws his hat into US political ring
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The day after the US midterm election, Manny Pacquiao was talking politics. Understandable, since the boxing champion has a side career as a congressman in the Philippines.
There's talk that one day he might be president in his homeland. Understandable, too, if only because he's the biggest sports hero the country has ever had, so popular that crime virtually stops there every time he gets in the ring.
But who would have thought that the little fighter who does things no other fighter has done could play a role in helping re-elect the majority leader of the US Senate?
Hard to believe anything you hear when it involves boxing, but this time promoter Bob Arum isn't just making it up.
"I think Manny has to get a lot of the credit for his help in electing Senator (Harry) Reid," Arum said on Wednesday.
Political pundits have yet to weigh in on the effect of Pacquiao's effort on behalf of Reid, a former boxer himself who survived a brutal race to beat Republican Sharron Angle in Nevada. Listen to Arum, though, and Pacquiao's appearance at a Reid rally in Las Vegas a few days before the election was crucial in energizing the city's sizable Filipino community and getting them out to vote.
Fighter. Politician. King maker. Is there anything Pacquiao can't do?
Sing, some might say. But Pacquiao proved them wrong on Monday night when he and comedian Will Ferrell teamed for a surprisingly good duet of John Lennon's "Imagine" on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," despite only a brief rehearsal.
Lennon wrote the song about world peace. Pacquiao makes his living in a world of violence.
Mainstream America will learn more about him on Sunday night when the TV show "60 Minutes" profiles Pacquiao.
Six days later he'll step into the ring at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas to do what everyone expects him to do - beat Antonio Margarito and win yet another title to add to his already large collection.
"Tell the fans nothing to worry about me," Pacquiao said. "The only worry is how we can give a good fight for the people who are going to watch the fight."
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