Manny Pacquiao is known to say some pretty strange things, but his reaction to Pia Wurtzbach, a.k.a Miss Philippines, winning Miss Universe under controversial circumstances is right near the top. According to Pacquiao, one of the best boxers of all time, Wurtzbach’s win avenged his loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the richest fight in boxing history.
"Courage is grace under pressure," Pacquiao told Philboxing.com (via Rolling Stone). "This is what Pia showed in the middle of the confusion and controversy that marked her coronation as the new Miss Universe. Remember, when I lost to Floyd last May, she made a promise to all of us Filipinos that she will avenge that defeat come the Miss Universe pageant, which she just has fulfilled.”
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That’s weird, considering there was no boxing during the Miss Universe pageant, and she was believed to have lost to Miss Colombia before being crowned. Mayweather is American, not Colombian. Then again this is a man who credited salt water for healing his torn labrum, so consider the source.
Pacquiao was right to note Wurtzbach’s calm reaction at first to losing, and then her dignified response when it became clear she had actually won. She should be invited to Pacquiao’s training camp to teach that kind of grace just in case he loses his next fight.
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After losing to Mayweather, Pacquiao initially said he believed he’d won despite wide scorecards in Mayweather’s favor, and the commentators all having scored the bout for the American champion. In the press conference, he shifted gears and blamed a shoulder injury for his lackluster performance, even though he showed no signs of discomfort during the bout. Pacquiao did have surgery, but his bad performance seemed to have more to do with Mayweather’s vaunted defense than any injury.
Pacquiao is expected to fight one last time on April 9. Here’s hoping he learns from Pia, and handles himself with the grace his career deserves regardless of the outcome.
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