Pacquiao gets 'fully focused' on training now

MANILA, Philippines – The mess brought about by his planned switch in TV partner and its consequential legal implications already over, Filipino pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao goes about his usual business – training – with 100 percent focus. “From this day onward I want to fully concentrate on my training for my upcoming fight on May 2," Pacquiao, who is slated to slug it out with Ricky Hatton, said after fixing the problem by agreeing to honor his live contract with Solar Entertainment Corp. The 30-year-old Pacquiao got entangled with the TV brouhaha Wednesday when he announced he was rescinding the license-agreement with Solar despite the fact it still has two years left. He then picked ABS-CBN, drawing howls of protests from Solar, which threatened to sue Pacquiao for breach and damages. Pacquiao was also under fire from GMA Network, Inc., with which he is contracted as a talent, for appearing on ABS-CBN. But after thinking things over with his team, Pacquiao on Saturday announced he was sticking it out with Solar, saying the disturbance was just a “misunderstanding" on the part of Pacquiao’s MP Promotions and the media outfit. With this, the Pacquiao-Hatton fight will be shown on GMA, as per a separate contract between the network and Solar. An apologetic Pacquiao, in a statement read by his lawyer Franklin Gacal, appealed to his fans for understanding. “Hopefully everyone will understand and I count on your never-ending support and prayer on all my fights." The resolution of the TV mess eliminated a source of distraction for the reigning pound for pound king, who is in the thick of preparations for his brawl with International Boxing Organization junior welterweight champion Hatton. But with or without distraction, Pacquiao’s brother, Bobby, expressed belief the ring superstar is a focused man at camp. “Si Manny naman, kapag oras ng training, talagang training iyan," he said in an earlier interview with 24 Oras. It also got rid of fight fans’ nagging fears that the looming legal battle over airing rights might result to the Pacquiao-Hatton fight not being shown on local TV at all. –GMANews.TV