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Manny Pacquiao during the press conference of the Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association. Karl Cedrick Basco, ABS-CBN News
MANILA – Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is holding on to the chance of representing the Philippines in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
During the launch of his newly-founded volleyball league Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA) Friday, Pacquiao remained committed to possibly suiting up in the country’s tri-colors in the Olympics.
“Waiting for that. Excited naman ako dyan,” Pacman told reporters.
Pacquiao, who is a future boxing hall of famer, recalled how he dreamt to be part of the Philippine team back when he was still a young aspiring boxer from General Santos City.
However, he was rejected which prompted him to join the professional ranks at the age of 16.
“From the beginning sabi ko, nagpunta ako sa Manila kasi gusto kong masala sa Philippine team. Kaso di ako nakuha, na-reject ako. Dahil di raw ako marunong. So napilitan ako mag-pro at the age of 16. ‘Yun ang dahilan nun,” he reminisced.
He went on to stress that he has been eyeing to wear a gold medal at the Olympiad.
It was last August when the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) first revealed that the many-time world champion boxer is eyeing for a ticket and a medal in the Paris Games.
POC president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said that Pacquiao’s camp, indeed, reached out on how the former eighth-division world champion could qualify for the 2024 Olympics in France.
Tolentino also affirmed that the boxing champion could still book a seat for the Olympics through two Olympic qualifying tournaments set in the first and second quarters of 2024.
He can also be given a berth under the Universality rule, which the IOC would grant. There are, however, only nine places under Universality at the Paris Games—five for women and only four for men.
Pacquiao currently weighs 66 kgs and has to choose between 63.50 kgs or 71 kgs that are on the Paris boxing program.
Professional boxers have been allowed to compete at the Olympics. In fact, in the Tokyo Olympics, 43 of the 186 competitors were professionals, including middleweight bronze medalist Eumir Felix Marcial, who beat fellow professional, Armenia’s Arman Darchinyan, in the quarterfinals.
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