Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao unloaded a counterpunch towards Floyd Mayweather regarding the recent comments of his former rival about his boxing career.
"Hindi ako katulad ng iba diyan na pera para lang," said Pacquiao in an interview with former PBA commissioner Noli Eala on the Power and Play program. "Kahit na 'di boksingero ang laban ay hinahamon. Kahit hindi boxer ang kalaban hinahamon para lang may pera.
"Ako kasi gusto ko 'yong fight. 'Yong fight talaga to challenge the best. Laging ganoon. Sanay tayo diyan hangga't nandito tayo sa sports," added the 42-year-old Pacquiao, who owns a 62-7-2 record on top of 39 knockouts.
At first, Pacquiao made the comments without dropping a name but there were obvious hints that it was directed to no less than Mayweather.
It would be recalled that Mayweather recently dominated Youtube personality Logan Paul in an exhibition match in early June which led him to pocket around $50 million per reports.
When asked again by Eala, the fighting senator seconded his earlier comments this time specifically pointed out to Mayweather himself and stressed that he's fighting not for the money but for his passion and the country's glory.
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"Alam mo kung pera-pera, kumuha ako ng pipitsugin na hindi boksingero. Kung pera-pera 'yong habol ko, bakit ako kukuha ng legend, kukuha ng undefeated, 'di ba? Mahihirapan pa ako," said the eight-divsion world boxing champion. "This is the real fight. Hindi 'yong fight na 'di boksingero ang kalaban mo. 'Yan ang pera-pera, 'yong 'di boksingero ang kalaban mo.
"Lumalaban ako kasi passion ko ito. Sanay ako 'yong gusto ko 'yong tinatalo 'yong mga undefeated tapos nakapagdadala ako ng karangalan ng ating bansa. So ayun ang maganda doon."
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Mayweather earlier took a jab at Pacquiao by stressing he's already "financially set" despite coming out of retirement to entertain exhibition matches.
"When I come to an exhibition or come out and box have some fun, I do it 'cos I wanna do it not because I have to do it. Whereas Pacquiao at his age, which is sad that he has to fight," said the undefeated American.
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Meanwhile, Pacquiao already began training with morning jogs and evening gym sessions to condition himself ahead of his flight to America on July 3.
He is set to take on 31-year-old Errol Spence, the unified WBC and IBF welterweight champion, on Aug. 21 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
READ: Floyd Mayweather: I wanna see Spence winning over Pacquiao