ShareThisU.S. President reveals his desire to Pacquiao at the White House
WASHINGTON, D.C. – “Someday I would like to visit the Philippines and I hope to see you there.”
Thus said United States President Barack Obama to a stunned world boxing hero and Philippine congressman Manny Pacquiao during their private meeting in the White House last week.
Pres. Obama
The world’s pound-for-pound boxing king and the only lawmaker-boxer in the world recounted his historic face-to-face meeting with the American leader in talks with reporters after the visit.
“I’m glad that you’re here and I would love to visit you in the Philippines,” Pacquiao again recalled the US President as saying.
A visibly happy Pacquiao recalled that Mr. Obama had told him and wife Jinkee that he (Obama) will see his upcoming fight with American boxer Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas through pay-per-view.
“I will watch the fight on pay-per-view,” Pacquiao quoted the President as saying after he invited him to watch his fight.
Pacquiao said he received from Obama three grocery bags of M&M candies bearing the Presidential seal and a watch, also with the Presidential seal.
The Filipino boxing icon recalled that he and the US President also talked about basketball.
“Yes, I love basketball. But I also love boxing,” Pacquiao quoted the American leader as saying.
Obama told Pacquiao that he had another visitor coming in, a member of the Boston Celtics.
“Oh, I’m a Boston fan,” Pacquiao quipped.
“It was an experience of a lifetime. I’ll cherish this for the rest of my life,”Pacquiao said later about the visit.
Before the private lunch meeting with President Obama, Pacquiao and his wife visited US Senate Majority Floor Leader Harry Reid at his office at the Capitol Building. Reid said he considered Pacquiao the greatest boxer of all time.
Pacquiao, who helped campaign for Reid in Nevada during the last elections, was given a tour of the Senate and was introduced by Reid in the Senate floor where he extolled the Filipino lawmaker and boxer for his achievements.
Reid said he will continue to support the Philippines and the cause of the Filipino war veterans.
Reid honored Pacquiaos’s achievements in public service and boxing on the Senate Floor. Following his remarks on the Senate floor, Reid hosted a press conference with Pacquiao.