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Exclusive: Manny Pacquiao is bigger than the sport, just like David Beckham

“One time there was a guy in an ice cream vendor down the street, he bought some ice cream off him and he’s talking to the guy. This guy explains ‘I have nothing’. He buys the man a house."

The legacy of Manny Pacquiao is one that will live on forever. 

Pacquiao is the sport's only eight-division champion in boxing and has been involved in some of boxing's biggest moments, including wins over Miguel Cotto, Oscar De La Hoya and the most lucrative bout in history against Floyd Mayweather.

However, unlike Floyd - who recently fought YouTuber sensation Logan Paul - Pacquiao does not have an obsession with money. Instead, he is focused on helping those in desperate need from the Philippines and across the globe.

When he isn't winning title after title in the ring, the 42-year-old is serving his role as a senator back in his native. Pacquiao has not fought since 2019 due to the global pandemic and has had a major role in saving lives in the Philippines.
Last year, the Jack Ma Foundation teamed up with the Manny Pacquiao Foundation to provide 50,000 test kits to help those most at risk, adding to some 600,000 masks donated by Pacquiao.

The southpaw, who will return to the ring and face Errol Spence Jr. in August, has previously admitted in the past to donating up to $200 million on projects to help the less fortunate.

His advisor, Sean Gibbons, exclusively spoke to Planet Sport about Pacquiao's generosity

"That's what's even bigger than boxing. Floyd Mayweather, all these other fighters, Errol Spence Jr. They can go around, and they can talk boxing - that's what they do.

"They can talk about flying around the world, buying jewellery. This guy is a humanitarian. He builds homes, hospitals, saves lives," Gibbons said.
"One time there was a guy in an ice cream vendor down the street, he bought some ice cream off him and he's talking to the guy. This guy explains 'I have nothing'. He buys the man a house.
"I get chills when I talk about it. He's so much bigger than boxing. He's an icon in his country and he's a senator. He could reach higher in office one day.
"But what he does, if you could see a day in his life how many people come to him for help and what they need and in the political field, that's what's really special about this guy.
"He knows what it's like to have nothing and what it's like to have everything. But he gives as much as he can back. Sometimes too much. He needs to think of himself and his family!

"But through his political goals, I'm telling you some of the stuff he does that people don't see is amazing. He's like a David Beckham, they're bigger than the sport. They do so much work around the world through UNICEF and helping people everywhere."

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