The Filipino fight king Manny Pacquiao's quest to conquer the political ring, as well as the boxing kind, could see him take a prolonged break from the squared circle after his bout with Joshua Clottey in Dallas on March 13. Pacquiao, in Hollywood training for the first defence of his WBO welterweight title he won in such convincing fashion from Miguel Cotto last November, is also running for a congressional seat in his native Philippines.
His philanthropy has already cemented his place in his homeland not just as a sporting icon, but as an astute businessman and movie star and he is looking to put his popularity to good use by entering into the world of politics. Despite the seven-weight champion's seemingly invincible persona, it is hard to imagine that he will be able to balance a career in politics with the months of training it takes to condition himself for a fight against someone of Clottey's ilk.
That is of course unless you are the "Pac Man". "I don't know [if I will stop], but I can still fight," said Pacquiao, 31. "Boxing is different than politics. Politics is more in service. "I want to be a good public servant. I want to help people." He could do worse than seek the advice of his Top Rank promoter, Bob Arum, who understands the pressure of public service more than most after working as a lawyer in the Justice Department during the Kennedy admini- stration.
But Pacquiao's determination to join Congress at the height of his athletic career is perplexing to the man who has helped shepherd Pacquiao from obscurity. "I can't figure it out," Arum said of "Pambansang Kamao", which translates to "National Fist". "I tried very lightly to dissuade him this time. I know people around him have tried also. He's determined to do it." If Pacquiao is elected this spring, his trainer Freddie Roach has come to terms with the possibility that the combination of Pacquiao's political responsibilities and his struggle to land a desired showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr could keep him out of the ring for a while - perhaps even permanently.
"It could be our last fight, sure," Roach confirmed. "I don't think it will, but it could definitely work out that way." Pacquiao, who has won 50 of his 55 bouts, 38 by a knockout, is generally regarded as one of the world's top pound-for-pound fighters, although a clash with Mayweather would undoubtedly settle that dispute. He will meet Clottey, who has won 35 of his 39 bouts that also includes three defeats, at Cowboys Stadium.
Pacquiao's pulling power extends beyond the shores of the Philippines and a huge crowd is expected. The love affair comes largely from the man's charitable nature, having given away millions of his own money to various charities. He failed in an attempt to win a congressional seat in May 2007, losing by a lopsided margin. His latest run - which will be decided in the Philippines' general election on May 10 - has a much better chance of succeeding, according to Arum.
"He's lived in the US and he's seen how people live here, and the relative affluence here," Arum said. "As a caring individual, that has to upset him. He genuinely wants to make a difference in those people's lives, and I guess he thinks politics is how to do that." @Email:sluckings@thenational.ae
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
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The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
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What is an ETF?
An exchange traded fund is a type of investment fund that can be traded quickly and easily, just like stocks and shares. They come with no upfront costs aside from your brokerage's dealing charges and annual fees, which are far lower than on traditional mutual investment funds. Charges are as low as 0.03 per cent on one of the very cheapest (and most popular), Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, with the maximum around 0.75 per cent.
There is no fund manager deciding which stocks and other assets to invest in, instead they passively track their chosen index, country, region or commodity, regardless of whether it goes up or down.
The first ETF was launched as recently as 1993, but the sector boasted $5.78 billion in assets under management at the end of September as inflows hit record highs, according to the latest figures from ETFGI, a leading independent research and consultancy firm.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five largest providers BlackRock’s iShares, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisers, Deutsche Bank X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
While the best-known track major indices such as MSCI World, the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, you can also invest in specific countries or regions, large, medium or small companies, government bonds, gold, crude oil, cocoa, water, carbon, cattle, corn futures, currency shifts or even a stock market crash.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
QUARTER-FINAL
Wales 20-19 France
Wales: T: Wainwright, Moriarty. Cons: Biggar (2) Pens: Biggar 2
France: T: Vahaamahina, Ollivon, Vakatawa Cons: Ntamack (2)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The%20trailblazers
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A German university was a good fit for the family budget
Annual fees for the Technical University of Munich - £600
Shared rental accommodation per month depending on the location ranges between £200-600
The family had budgeted for food, books, travel, living expenses - £20,000 annually
Overall costs in Germany are lower than the family estimated
As proof that the student has the ability to take care of expenses, international students must open a blocked account with about £8,640
Students are permitted to withdraw £720 per month
The biog
Age: 46
Number of Children: Four
Hobby: Reading history books
Loves: Sports
MATCH INFO
Hoffenheim v Liverpool
Uefa Champions League play-off, first leg
Location: Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim
Kick-off: Tuesday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday
Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm kick-off UAE)
Bayer Leverkusen v Schalke (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Cologne (5.30pm)
Mainz v Arminia Bielefeld (5.30pm)
Augsburg v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Bayern Munich (8.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Freiburg (10.30pm)
Sunday
VfB Stuttgart v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Union Berlin v Hertha Berlin (8pm)
The Saudi Cup race card
1 The Jockey Club Local Handicap (TB) 1,800m (Dirt) $500,000
2 The Riyadh Dirt Sprint (TB) 1,200m (D) $1.500,000
3 The 1351 Turf Sprint 1,351m (Turf) $1,000,000
4 The Saudi Derby (TB) 1600m (D) $800,000
5 The Neom Turf Cup (TB) 2,100m (T) $1,000,000
6 The Obaiya Arabian Classic (PB) 2,000m (D) $1,900,000
7 The Red Sea Turf Handicap (TB) 3,000m (T) $2,500,000
8 The Saudi Cup (TB) 1,800m (D) $20,000,000
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
