Philippine star Manny Pacquiao has announced his participation in the Maharlika Filipinas Basketball Championship, organized by the world boxer in cooperation with the Dubai Sports Council at the Hamdan Sports Complex today and tomorrow.
This came during a press conference held yesterday afternoon at the headquarters of the Dubai Sports Council, and was attended by the Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council, Saeed Hareb, and the legendary boxer Senator Manny Pacquiao, and Donistan Rosario, President of the organizing company of the event, as well as Assistant Secretary General of the Dubai Council, Nasser Aman Al Rahma.
Pacquiao signed the championship ball and presented it with a gift to the Dubai Council, while he fought the Commemorative Shield of the Council to the world star.
"We welcome the distinguished guest of the world star and boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, who is visiting us for the second time, but this time we are honored as a basketball player and not a boxer," Harib said in a press statement. in Dubai".
He added: «Organizing the championship in Hamdan Sports Complex will increase the splendor of competitions and inspire competitors to provide their best, being among the most beautiful sports facilities in the world, and allows the public to enjoy the follow-up competitions through the distinctive design of the hall and also through modern high-quality screens. Participating athletes enjoy themselves competing in a beautifully designed gymnasium that is the icon of sports facilities in Dubai, a feeling many athletes have ever experienced in world championships for swimming, tennis, fencing, volleyball, badminton, and many more. The tournaments are organized in this complex, and we support all efforts to spread the sport and provide ways of success for the championships in cooperation with partners from all sectors ».
The boxer, who won 10 world titles, nicknamed «Boxer of the Century» and the founder of this championship, was pleased to visit the Council, and the organization of the championship in Dubai. The Board thanked the support for the organization of this event and said: We seek to enjoy our audience this tournament and provide them with a chance to rest on the weekend of work stress, and this is our way to give back to the audience who follow us everywhere to entertain them through the sport they love, But this time it will be in the basketball court and not in the boxing arena, and our enthusiasm for the start of the championship is no less than the enthusiasm of the public, and we promise them to make an unforgettable performance.
Three teams from the Philippine League are participating: Emos Bandera, Davao Occidental Tigers and Batangas City Athletics.
Manny Pacquiao, 40, is the only boxer in history to have won the world championships in eight different categories and has become the best boxer in the world in all categories mixed since June 2008. He has also been named three times Boxer of the Year and Boxer of the Decade 2000-2009. Forbes is the world's most paid boxer with an annual income of $ 40 million.
- Pacquiao, 40, holds 10 world titles
Boxing, participates in the basketball tournament with his own team.