Pacquiao meets Obama at US National Prayer Breakfast

MANILA, Philippines – Part of his frenzied three-week itinerary that included trips to different cities in the United States, Manny Pacquiao also dropped by Washington, D.C. to attend the annual National Prayer Breakfast, where he met American president Barack Obama once again.

Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee had previously met Obama in February 2011 at the White House 3 months before the Filipino’s 12-round encounter against Shane Mosley.

Both men had the chance to cross paths for the second time on Thursday, February 5 at the National Prayer Breakfast, a yearly affair in the United States capital that brings together selected political, business, and social personalities.

Pacquiao presented a boxing-inspired painting as a gift to Obama.

Aside from boxing’s only eight-division world champion, many prominent figures took part of the aforementioned event, including exiled Tibetian spiritual leader Dalai Lama.

While waiting for developments in the ongoing negotiations for his long-awaited bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr., Pacquiao has been keeping himself busy outside the Philippines.

The 36-year-old Filipino boxer had the premier of his movie-documentary entitled “Manny” at the Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles before promoting the film in New York and making several guest appearances.

In addition, Pacquiao was tapped to be one of the five judges at the recently-concluded 63rd Miss Universe pageant in Miami.

During his stay in Miami, Pacquiao and Mayweather bumped into each other during an NBA game at the American Airlines Arena before having a closed-door dialogue at the Pinoy pugilist’s hotel suite in the same city.

Pacquiao reportedly eyes an in-ring return on May 30 in case the negotiation for the mega-fight versus Mayweather falls through once more.

Along with his tour on United States soil, Pacquiao also paid a visit in the United Kingdom, where he had dinner with Prince Harry at Buckingham Palace in London, England. – Rappler.com