Pacquiao to train at parliament

Manny Pacquiao will train for his next world title bout inside the Philippines’ parliamentary grounds as he seeks to balance his new job as a lawmaker with his phenomenal sporting career.

Pacquiao, 31, regarded by many as the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter, was elected a member of parliament in May but he has vowed his political ambitions will not affect his boxing.

“I will sleep in my office so I can jog before the start of (a parliamentary) session or hearing,” the Manila Times quoted Pacquiao as saying.

“The House (of Representatives) grounds are big. There is also a big jogging area there.”

Pacquiao, the only fighter to have seven championship belts in as many weight classes, said part of his conditioning would encompass a three-hour training session that included jogging.

He said he had inspected the gym at the parliamentary complex and found it “good enough”, according to the newspaper.

Pacquiao is tentatively set to fight Mexico’s Antonio Margarito for the vacant World Boxing Council junior middleweight belt on November l3, after talks to fight undefeated US star Floyd Mayweather fell through.

Mayweather had earlier accused Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs and publicly dared him to undergo blood testing if a showdown between them were to come about.

The Filipino champ agreed in May, but Mayweather failed to meet a July deadline to agree to terms of what could be the most lucrative fight in boxing history.

In an article for philboxing.com that was posted at the weekend, Pacquiao said he still wanted to fight Mayweather.

“For now, Antonio Margarito, of Mexico, is the likely replacement of Mayweather in November 13, but for me, there is nothing more beautiful (than) news if the Mayweather camp will change its mind,” he said.

“A lot of things can happen within three months and if Mayweather is not really a coward, he needs to prove himself in the ring.

“He claims he is the best. He says he is number one. There is only one way to prove his greatness and that is to face me. I should be ready by November.”