Cambridge in the train of Manny

Cambridge in the train of Manny

By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Sun 04 Nov 2018

Senator Manny Pacquiao will not be the only one to host Oxford, but Cambridge is also taking part in the British tour where the WBA welterweight champion delivers speeches to two prestigious companies, debate and freedom of speech.

Pacquiao is scheduled to speak at Oxford tomorrow and Cambridge on Tuesday. The list of previous speakers in both campuses does not include Filipino, so it is likely that Pacquiao will be the first of the Philippines to breakthrough.

While the Oxford and Cambridge Unions introduced athletes as speakers, there are not too many books in the records. At Oxford, the roster includes runner Roger Bannister, footballer Diego Maradona, tennis Boris Becker and boxers George Foreman, David Haye, Vitali Klitschko and Chris Eubank. In Cambridge, Pacquiao could be the first fighter to speak, the list of athletes appearing in front of the Union being named only racer Jackie Stewart, runner Lord Sebastian Coe, footballer Fabio Capello, rugby James Haskell , footballer David Moyes, cyclist Mark Cavendish, lawyer and Formula 1 leader Max Mosley, footballer Clarke Carlisle, sprinter Dwain Chambers and footballer Roy Hodgson.

Pacquiao will be in the company of the elite when he goes on stage in Oxford and Cambridge. Winston Churchill, Robert Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Mother Teresa, Albert Einstein and Margaret Thatcher were among the speakers who never participated in sports activities in Oxford. Previous speakers at Cambridge included John Major, Jesse Jackson, the Dalai Lama, Theodore Roosevelt, Jawaharlal Nehru, Helmut Kohl and John Howard.

The Cambridge Union was established in 1815 and the Oxford Union in 1823, so that companies have clearly stood the test of time. "Being invited to these lighthouses of higher education to talk to their students is a huge honor," said Pacquiao. "I cherish moments like these where I can share my story and culture, as well as share ideas with the next generation of leaders."

Pacquiao is known not only for uniting rival factions in the Philippines, but also for rallying heads of state. When Pacquiao seized the Lucas Matthysse WBA welterweight crown from Argentina in Kuala Lumpur last July, President Duterte and Malaysian Prime Minister Mahatir Mohammad attended the Axiata Arena, which was the first time two National leaders attended a boxing competition.

Pacquiao was due to travel to New York from the UK to begin a press tour in two US cities to promote his next fight against Adrien Broner, to be held in pencil in Las Vegas on Jan. 19. But the arrangements could not be confirmed. Pacquiao decided to return to Manila to begin a serious training for Broner.

Click here to see a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.

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