MANILA (AFP) – Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao flew home to a hero's welcome Monday after defending his world title and immediately began a political fight he said was aimed at helping the nation's poor masses.
Wearing a jacket and tie and accompanied by wife Jinkee, Pacquiao was met at Manila airport by a throng of press photographers and a group of politicians wanting to share the limelight with boxing's best pound-for-pound fighter.
"I am very happy that I have returned to the Philippines to be with my children. I thank everyone who supported and prayed for me in my last fight," Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao defeated Ghana's Joshua Clottey in Texas last week to retain his World Boxing Organizationwelterweight title.
Pacquiao hints at retiring before Mayweather fight Opposition senator Manuel Villar, a millionaire property developer who is one of the leading candidates for the presidency in the May 10 national elections, was among those who met Pacquiao at the airport.
Pacquiao, 31, is running under Villar's Nacionalista Party for a House of Representatives seat in the southern Philippine province of Sarangani.
"What we need now is a man who rose from poverty, who understands the call of the poor like myself," Pacquiao said in an obvious reference to Villar.
Villar, a son of a fish dealer who rose to become one of the country's most powerful men, has made poverty alleviation his central platform.
Pacquiao, who similarly lifted himself out of deep poverty to become one of the world's richest sportsmen, has said helping the poor is also his main motivation in running for Congress.
In keeping with his tradition, Pacquiao motored to a packed Catholic church in downtown Manila for a mass after breakfast with close friends and supporters.
He then briefly crossed political fences and met President Gloria Arroyo, who gave him a three-layered chocolate cake topped with a replica of his WBO belt.
"It is refreshing to see Manny Pacquiao start his political career with the same energy and dedication he shows in the boxing ring," Arroyo spokesman Gary Olivar said.
It was not clear whether Villar was invited along to the palace visit.
And with politics in his sights, Pacquiao hinted at hanging up his gloves, potentially dashing any hopes of a mega-bucks match with American Floyd Mayweather.
"It may not reach a point where I will fight Mayweather. I may announce retirement, I will talk with my family about it," Pacquiao told GMA television.
He said his mother Dionisia has been repeatedly asking him to quit after a phenomenal career that has seen him become the only fighter in history to win seven world titles in as many weight divisions.
"She kneels down and cries every time (she asks me to quit). That's a heavy burden when it's my mother doing that," he said.
Dionisia said the entire Pacquiao family was to hold a meeting with the champ when he flies home in a bid to finally convince him to retire.
"God has given him enough. All of us will convince him to stop fighting," said the deeply religious Pacquiao matriarch.
A motorcade then took Pacquiao through Manila's notoriously clogged streets, where fans lined up to catch a glimpse of the popular athlete.
Source: news.yahoo.com and afp.com http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100322/wl_asia_afp/philippinespacquiaopoliticsvoteboxphi;_ylt=AjttEKzxSpokyPZwGCK48CkBxg8F;_ylu=X3oDMTNkODJyMHZ1BGFzc2V0A2FmcC8yMDEwMDMyMi9waGlsaXBwaW5lc3BhY3F1aWFvcG9saXRpY3N2b3RlYm94cGhpBHBvcwMxOQRzZWMDeW5fcGFnaW5hdGVfc3VtbWFyeV9saXN0BHNsawNoZXJvcGFjcXVpYW8-
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