(Eagle News) — Malaysian Prime Minister expressed his admiration for “Filipino champion” Manny Pacquiao as he called Sunday’s fight at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia a “historical day.”
The 93-year old Malaysian leader watched Pacquiao’s fight against Argentinian boxer Lucas Matthyse, along with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte who flashed a thumbs up after the Pacquiao win.
“This is a historical day for Malaysia when we have a Filipino champion fighting in Malaysia witnessed by the leaders of both countries,” Mahathir said in an ambush interview.
“And of course this is part of our boxing diplomacy, [but] we don’t punch each other,” he added.
President Duterte, for his part, advised Pacquiao to retire after his stunning win over Argentina’s “La Maquina” or “The Machine.”
He said that it is time for the fighting senator to hang up his gloves and rest on his laurels as he had already proven time and time again that he is still a great boxer.
“I’d like to see my friend rest on his laurels at this time and enjoy life,” Duterte told journalists after the bout. “He has so much money already, no problem. He can enjoy life.”
Pacquiao declared a net worth of 2.946 billion pesos ($56.2 million) in 2017 and placed 20th in Forbes’ list last year of the highest-paid athletes of all time with total earnings of $510 million.
He is the only eight-division world champion in the history of boxing. He has won 11 major world titles, and is also the first boxer to win the lineal championship in five different weight classes.
Pacquiao, whose professional boxing career spans a period of 23 years, is also the first boxer in history to win major world titles in four of the original eight weight classes of boxing: flyweight, featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight. (with an AFP report)
