Pacquiao eyes Olympic gold medal

There is no turning back for boxing legend Manny Pacquaio to fulfill his long-cherished dream – to box in the Olympics.

“Tuloy-tuloy tayo,” Pacquiao said during the media conference held for the new Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association (MPVA) on Friday at the Sheraton Hotel in Pasay City.

[I’m] waiting for that. I’m excited for that,” added the eight-division world champion.

“Alam naman ninyo na nang lumuwas ako sa Maynila ang pakay ko ay makasama sa Philippine Team. Hindi lang ako tinaggap dahil wala raw akong sinabi.

“Kaya sa maagang edad na 16, nagdesisyon ako na mag-pro na lang. Pero hindi naaalis sa aking isipan na lumaban para sa Philippine Team. Yan ang matagal ko nang pangarap at nasa puso ko na matupad na makapanalo ng gintong medalya sa Olympics,” said Pacquaio, who retired in pro boxing in 2021.

Recently, the former Senator has spoken with Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino, as well as to the officials of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) to program everything for the path to be taken towards competing in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France.

The 44-year-old boxing icon will need to compete in qualifying tournaments next year to earn slots for the Philippine team that will compete in the Olympics.

“I’m preparing for that. I’m all-in because my ultimate goal is to fulfill my dream of boxing for the Philippine Team,” said Pacquaio.

With the new rules imposed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which temporarily oversees international amateur boxing after the suspension of the Boxing Federation, the boxing competition at the quadrennial meet is open to all professional boxers.

In the last Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, the then-inexperienced professional boxer Eumir Marcial competed and won the bronze medal in his category.