Pacquiao proud of NBA’s Lin

MANILA, Philippines – Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao is proud of fellow Asian Jeremy Lin, a point guard of the New York Knicks who is making waves in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

"Jeremy Lin, I'm proud as an Asian," Pacquiao said in ESPN.com. "We're very proud of him. Keep up the good work."

Pacquiao is hoping to meet Lin, a Chinese-American graduate of Harvard University, at the sidelines of his media tour in New York City.

The Filipino boxer is currently touring the US to promote his WBO welterweight title fight against undefeated American boxer Timothy Bradley.

Pacquiao is an avid fan of basketball. He once owned a basketball team that played in Liga Pilipinas.

He said he admires Lin not only for his basketball skills but also for the way he professes his Christian faith.
Pacquiao said Lin serves as a role model for other talented athletes.

“Successful people should never forget the Lord. They owe him their gift and talent,” Pacquiao said.

Read original post here By Steve Angeles, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau

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Pacquiao, Bradley start US promo tour

BEVERLY HILLS, California – Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr. both realize almost every boxing fan wishes Floyd Mayweather Jr. had been standing next to Pacquiao at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Tuesday.

But when Pacquiao and Mayweather failed to make a deal for the fight everybody wants to see, Pacquiao moved down the list of contenders to make a fight he hopes his fans will enjoy.

Pacquiao and Bradley are getting an early start on the promotional circuit for their welterweight bout June 9 at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas. Even while the Filipino congressman and his unbeaten opponent posed for photos and praised each other in the peach-colored ballroom at the historic Hollywood hideaway, Pacquiao and his camp realized Mayweather’s absence looms over the proceedings.

“I’m willing to fight Mayweather,” Pacquiao said. “But I have to fight the guys who are hungry to fight me. Timothy Bradley is strong, and he can punch. He’s a good boxer, so it’s a challenge to fight a guy like that.”

Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KOs) realizes he’ll have to do plenty of promoting to get fans interested in a fight against Bradley, a 140-pound champion from Palm Springs, Calif., who has never been in a fraction of the spotlight that follows Pacquiao across the globe. Pacquiao will make sure every fan knows all about Bradley (28-0, 12 KOs), praising him as a game opponent who enjoys a good action fight as much as he does – another indirect swipe at the defense-oriented Mayweather.

Read full story here By AP (The Philippine Star)

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