Duterte to support Pacquiao

MATTHYSSE COUNTS ON POPE FRANCIS

KUALA LUMPUR – Welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse doesn’t seem to care if President Duterte sits at ringside to support Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao on Sunday.

“In that ring, it’s just going to be me and Manny, and not the President,” the rugged champion from Argentina told the press Wednesday at Le Meridien Hotel.

President Duterte has announced back home that he’s flying to Malaysia this weekend to watch the fight and visit Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

Pacquiao is friends with President Duterte.

Again, Matthysse doesn’t care.

Besides, the WBA titlist at 147 pounds said if Pacquiao has the support of the Philippine President, he has Pope Francis to count on.

Matthysse was asked if he thinks Pope Francis would pray for his victory.

“Yes, of course,” he told The STAR.

The Pope, who is from Argentina, loves sports, and is an avid soccer fan. The Pope likes welcoming visiting national soccer teams at the Vatican.

Pope Francis keeps a collection of gifted soccer jerseys, and religiously follows the World Cup.