Manny Pacquiao Denouces Sins and Renews Christian Faith
'I Would've Gone Straight to Hell,' Says Boxer
The rest of the world may be concerned with the status of a possible Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight, but Manny Pacquiao is focusing on renewing his faith in God and giving up his sinful ways.
He told ABS-CBN News during an interview that he has denounced his sins, immersed himself in Bible study and said he will spend more time with his wife and children.
"If I had died last year or in the last two years, I am sure I would've gone straight to Hell ... My faith in Him is there 100 percent, but behind it, I was still [being] the Devil's advocate," Pacquiao told Dyan Castillejo during a one on one interview.
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"I was still doing evil," he added.
The change in the Phillipino iconic fighter comes after an epiphany, which Pacquio described as very emotional.
He told Castillejo about a moving dream that led him to give up gambling, alchohol and womanizing. The dream came on the night he fought and defeated Mexican fighter Juan Manuel.
In the dream, Pacquiao says he was in a beautiful forest when a bright light was shone upon him. He says a voice asked him, "Son why are you going away from me?"
Pacquiao says he awoke from the dream in tears.
"I woke up crying. I remember I was crying in my dream and when I touched my pillow, it was wet," Pacquiao said.
After waking up, he searched the Bible for answers to his dream and found that God sometimes talked to people through their dreams.
"In the past, God talked to people through their dreams. So I told myself this dream is real and I have to change my life," he said.
According to Pacquiao, the change came not just because he desired it, but because God changed him.
"Being a Christian means accepting Christ as your savior, your God," he said. "That's why you are called a 'Christian.' If you remove Christ, there's only 'ian' and that means 'I am nothing."
Pacquiao, meanwhile, has turned down a challenge from Floyd Mayweather to fight on May 5 in Las Vegas, according to The Associated Press.
His camp is saying that there is no economic sense in setting up the bout because a 45,000 seat boxing arena being built in Las Vegas won't be finished in time. In addition, staging the much anticipated fight at a smaller venue would be "foolish from an economic standpoint," according to Pacquiao's financial advsier, Michael Koncz.
