MANILA, Philippines - World boxing champion Manny Pacquiao said
Thursday he would sell his mansion in one of the metro's swankiest areas
after his neighbors complained of his visitors wearing shabby clothing.
Pacquiao told AFP that as a "man of the masses," he is not finicky
with his visitors, even if they are wearing "just shorts and slippers."
The boxer's rags-to-riches story, from being a fish vendor in his
hometown to winning world titles in an unprecedented eight weight
divisions, has made him wildly popular in the Philippines.
He used his boxing fame to get elected to Congress in 2010 and like
many wealthy Filipino politicians, he frequently has to meet with
constituents asking for hand-outs and favors.
Pacquiao said he would buy a new house where he could accommodate more visitors, who are mostly seeking financial assistance.
"If there's somebody who is willing to buy, I'm going to sell it,"
Pacquiao said of the Manila property, which he acquired for P400 million
in 2011.
He added that he wants to make a profit from the sale as he had made renovations.
The 35-year-old said he apologized to his neighbors, though some understood why he was accommodating poor visitors.
- "I may be as rich as some of them here, but my lifestyle remains the
same and so is my heart. I am just a simple man. I will never change
that," he said.
The three-storey mansion -- in a neighborhood that is home to
Manila's old rich -- has five bedrooms, several reception and dining
halls, and an office.
Pacquiao also owns a fleet of luxury cars, and his hometown mansion
in General Santos City has a pool shaped like a boxing glove.
He beat American Chris Algieri in Macau last Sunday, in a match that
proved to fans that he still has what it takes to face arch-rival Floyd
Mayweather.
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