King of the ring rumbles for Philippine presidency

Manny Pacquiao is idolised by many in the Philippines both for his punching power and rise from poverty to the peak of world boxing. But his support of a deadly war on drugs and homophobic views have drawn plenty of detractors.

Known in the Asian archipelago as “The National Fist”, Pacquiao has parlayed sporting success into the political ring, and now has his sights set on a high-stakes rumble for the presidency.

Pacquiao declared on Sunday he will run for the top job in the 2022 elections, vowing to tackle poverty and corruption as he seeks to win over voters with his rags-to-riches story.

“I feel what you’re all feeling, I know the suffering that you have experienced and I know that you are all tired,” said Pacquiao after accepting the nomination of a rival faction in President Rodrigo Duterte’s ruling party.

After two terms as a congressman and one as a senator, Pacquiao’s ambition is not unrealistic in a country famed for its celebrity-obsessed politics. But victory is far from assured.

Fans see Pacquiao, an eightdivision world champion, as living proof that success is possible for anyone who works hard, no matter their origins. But critics accuse the high-school dropout of lacking intellect and being a frequent no-show in the senate, raising questions about his ability to run the country of 110 million people.

Less than a year out from the elections, Pacquiao has risked political capital in a public stoush with Duterte, who rivals the boxer for the affections of many Filipinos and previously mentioned him as a possible successor.

He has also stirred controversy by backing Duterte’s deadly drug war, which rights groups say has killed tens of thousands of mostly poor men and sparked an investigation by the International Criminal Court.

“His popularity as a boxer will not 100 per cent translate to his popularity as a politician,” Ted Lerner, a Us-born sports journalist in the Philippines, said.

Pacquiao dropped out of high school at 14, sold doughnuts on the roadside and became a grocery stacker to help his mother support two younger siblings. Within a few years, the diminutive southpaw was a pro boxer.

I feel what you’re all feeling, I know the suffering that you have experienced and I know that you are all tired

MANNY PACQUIAO Former boxer