“They are not my enemy but my opposition…” Manny Pacquiao On His Fighting Mentality.

This latest blog entry finds the Filipino champion reflecting on raising children, the mental drive to become the best and his place in boxing history.

Family and boxing are two of defining realities in the life of Manny Pacquiao. This latest blog entry finds the Filipino champion reflecting on raising children, the mental drive to become the best and his place in boxing history.

As a parent I use daily life as a tool to teach my children. I share my philosophy with them that professional boxing is a job. It stays in the gym where it belongs. I hold no malice, no ill will, towards any of my opponents. Like any other job, I work hard daily to achieve success and to reach my full potential.

Do I want to win? You bet. I am an athlete and a competitor. That is what drives me in all my training camps. I like to win. But that does not mean I want to hurt anyone badly. That is why before and after every fight I pray for the welfare and safety of my opponent. They are not my enemy but my opposition. I have the utmost respect for them. I never speak ill of them to my family or to anyone.

I was a good boy growing up, even when I started to learn boxing. I never got in fights in school or on the streets. That’s not what I was about. Now that I’m a parent, I know the importance of teaching by example. What matters most in the Pacquiao household is church, family, education and giving back. That is what Jinkee and I emphasize every day.

When I became a professional boxer I did it because I loved the sport, I loved to compete and it seemed like a good way to earn money for my family. When I began winning, a new goal was to become a world champion, for the same reasons, plus for personal pride of performance. I have always tried to perform to the best of my abilities in every fight. After I defeated Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez and David Diaz and had won world titles in five different divisions I was very proud of what I accomplished. But after I moved up to welterweight and beat Oscar De La Hoya, who was a personal hero to me, I think that is when I had a real sense of the history I had achieved. It’s not for me to say where I stand or will stand in boxing history. I will leave that to the boxing fans and historians to decide. Personally, I am very proud of my record and to be associated with the men I competed against in the ring.

What means the most to me is not to be considered the best fighter but to be the man who represented his nation and his people in a positive light, carrying their pride and love to millions of people around the world who watched me fight. It is humbling and it is an honor.