People's champ and former eight-division world champion Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao has been appointed as Vice President of the International Boxing Association (IBA).
In a press release, IBA President Umar Kremlev said that Pacquiao's life story mirrors the spirit of IBA’s mission, which is "giving every young boxer a fair chance to have achieve their dreams."
"We have been helping children as an organization, while Manny has been doing it all alone. Now, we will continue to help our children together as a united IBA boxing family and extend Manny’s programs beyond the borders," Kremlev said.
In an Instagram post, the Filipino boxing legend expressed how grateful he is to be selected by the association.
"I am proud to join this mission — to make sure no young boxer is left behind, no champion is forgotten, and no nation is excluded," he said during the appointment.
"As Vice President, I will dedicate myself to building bridges — between amateurs and professionals, between East and West, between generations and cultures," Pacquiao added.
The athlete-turned-politician will play an active role in advancing the organization’s mission and values as the association's Vice President.
Messages of congratulations poured in from friends and fans of the 46-year-old Filipino.
The IBA was previously known as the Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur (AIBA), which is a sports organization at the Olympics that sanctions amateur and professional boxing matches and awards world and subordinate championships.
