LAS VEGAS, USA – He is about to take part in the biggest fight of this generation, but before the bout of his life, Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao wanted to emphasize one thing about the fight: that it be an inspiration to people everywhere.

Speaking at the final press conference before fight night on May 2, Pacquiao told his story about being a poor boy in General Santos City, Philippines, before becoming a global icon and boxing superstar.

“I just want to let you know that everything I have accomplished is [through] God who gave me this strength. I want to be an example and an inspiration to everybody – how my life, before I became a boxer, I used to sleep in the street, starving, hungry and now I cannot imagine  that the Lord raised me in this position and he blessed me with his blessings,” he said.

“I cannot imagine that the boy that don’t have food and slipper and sleeping in the streets – he raised me this level of life. That’s what I want to share with everyone,” he said.

Pacquiao, now a devout Christian, has used his fame and position to talk about his faith. He said he hopes the fight will not only be entertaining, but also an “inspiration to all the people around the world, there is God who can raise someone from nothing to something.”

He also said he would like to speak to Mayweather after their megafight to share his faith with him, saying, “We can inspire more people especially those children looking [up to] us and supporting us.”

Pacquiao’s life story is well-documented. Perceived as a hero in his home country, Pacquiao serves as an inspiration to Filipinos, over 40% of whom live under the poverty line. Today, Pacquiao is a sought-after endorser for global brands and is one of the highest paid athletes in the world.

The boxer, who is also a congressman of Sarangani province in the Philippines, is expected to get his biggest payday yet, with the fight predicted to earn about $400 million – the heftiest pay check in boxing history.

The much-anticipated bout, which took over 5 years to finalize, will also decide once and for all who the best pound-for-pound fighter is today. – Rappler.com