Pacquiao dedicates his fight to Nazario

Manny Pacquiao declared Sunday that he would do everything he can to fulfill the dying wish of late boxing manager Rod Nazario: win the WBO welterweight title from reigning champion Miguel Cotto. The Filipino champion, hailed as the “National Fist”, said winning his match against Cotto is one of Nazario’s requests before he passed away last Thursday. “Sa araw ng laban, alam kong naroon siya upang ako ay suportahan kahit wala na siya sa mundo,” said Pacquiao of Nazario in his column Philboxing.com column “Kumbinasyon”. The 30-year-old Pacquiao is greatly saddened by the death of Nazario, who was credited for helping him break into international superstardom. It was Nazario who brought Pacquiao to the US in 2001 for his breakthrough fight with then IBF super bantamweight champion Lehlo Ledwaba. Pacquiao, who stepped into the fight as a late replacement, eventually won the title. “Siya ang isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit ko tinatamasa ang karangalan at kasaganahan ng buhay at ang kanyang pagpanaw ay isang kawalan sa aking buhay,” said the hard-hitting boxer from General Santos City. The other request made by Nazario to Pacquiao is that he’d help the other boxers handled by the late manager. Nazario urged the Filipino champ to give them the same break he received when he was just starting out. “Kaya naman puspusan ang aking paghahanda dahil pareho kong tutuparin ang mga kahilingang ito ng isang taong naging malapit sa aking puso,” he said. 'Every punch for Rod' Pacquio vowed to win his match against Cotto. He would dedicate his win to his beloved “Ninong Rod”. “Bawat suntok na aking bibitawan ay para sa iyo (Nazario), gaya rin ng inspirasyon na nakukuha ko mula sa inyong lahat. Ninong Rod, May You Rest in Peace,” said Pacquiao, who is currently training in Baguio City. The boxing superstar was supposed to visit Nazario’s wake on Sunday. However, the calamity brought about by tropical storm “Ondoy”, which has caused deaths to many and millions of pesos in damages to property, has prevented Pacquiao from leaving Baguio either by air or by land.

Official Source: abs-cbnnews.com