Pacquiao given green light to fight, despite standing for senate

Jan 21, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley, Jr. pose for a photo during press conference at Madison Square Garden to announce the upcoming boxing fight on April 9, 2016 in Las Vegas. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
Philippine Poll Body Says it Will ‘Not Stop’ Pacquiao-Bradley Fight – www.plnmedia.com (Image by Reuters)

The Philippine elections commission ruled on Tuesday it would not stop a WBO welterweight fight between Philippine boxing hero Manny Pacquiao and US champion Timothy Bradley next month because there was no formal complaint to block it.

Pacquiao, the former eight-division world champion, is a two-term congressman and a candidate for the Senate in elections on May 9.

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A former congressman has asked the Commission on Elections to look into his April 9 bout, which has been billed as his last fight, because it would give him undue advantage in the polls.

“We are not in a position right now to stop it,” the head of the commission, Andres Bautista, told a news conference.

“That is not really within our control. There has been no formal complaint that was filed in accordance with our rules.”

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The bout will be Pacquiao’s first since he lost a unanimous decision to unbeaten American Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the so-called “Fight of the Century” in Las Vegas last May.

In February, Pacquiao, 37, lost a sponsorship deal with Nike Inc, as the world’s largest sportswear-maker canceled its contract with him after he described gays as “worse than animals”.

More than 54 million people in the Philippines will vote for a president, vice-president, 300 lawmakers and thousands of local government posts.

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