World
boxing champion Manny Pacquiao said Thursday he would sell his mansion in one
of the Philippine capital's swankiest areas after his neighbours 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 home town 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 favours.
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 400 million pesos ($9
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 apologised to his neighbours, 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 neighbourhood 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 home town mansion in southern
Philippines 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.
News
Credit: MSN
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