Pacquiao still game for Mayweather megafight but…

Following his latest ring conquest, Filipino boxing champ Emmanuel “Manny" Pacquiao is still open to a megafight with Floyd Mayweather Jr., but wants Mayweather to be the one to issue to challenge. At a press conference after his return home from the United States early Monday, Pacquiao said it is Mayweather who needs him to bolster his own career. “Di naman ho ako maghahamon dahil siya naman ang may kinakailangan. Ako nakamit ko pangarap ko sa boxing ko without Mayweather in my boxing career, so wala akong dapat kailangang ihamon sa kanya. (I won’t be the one who will challenge him because he needs me to bolster his career. I came this far in my boxing career without Mayweather, so Isee no need to call him out)," he said. But he stressed he is game to a showdown with Mayweather, saying he will fight him anytime so long as his opponent meets the weight limit and their promoters reach an agreement. “So anytime pwede ako lumaban basta gusto niya lumaban (I am open to him fighting me anytime he wants to)," he said. Last week, Pacquiao called out Mayweather to do his part against Shane Mosley so that their aborted megabuck showdown can push through. Mayweather has to get past fellow American Mosley in their battle for the latter’s World Boxing Association welterweight crown on May 1. “He should win against Mosley. If not, Mosley and I will fight," Pacquiao said. The bout between Mayweather and Pacquiao was called off following kinks in negotiations – including a row on drug testing - for the superfight initially scheduled for March 13. Clottey no boost to political stock Pacquiao laughed off speculations he used his bout with Joshua Clottey, the fighter who replaced Mayweather in the March 13 card, to boost his political stock. He said boxing and politics are two different animals. “Ang boxing walang connection sa pulitika ang boxing iba ang pulitika. Ang boxing nagbibigay ng karangalan sa lahat na Pilipino sa ating bansa. Ang pulitika pagserbisyo sa kapwa tao (Boxing has no connection with politics. In boxing you give honor to your country. In politics, you serve your countrymen)," said Pacquiao, who will vie for a congressional seat in Sarangani in this year's elections. - GMANews.TV