But the latest senate bets rankings could change as election campaigns by senate hopefuls heats up after Pacquiao’s ring date with Timothy Bradley on April 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The next Philippine election is set for May 9 or exactly one month after the Pacquiao-Bradley showdown.
Pacquiao’s long-time trainer Freddie Roach believes the fighting congressman from the lone district of Sarangani in Southern Philippines will have a better chance of winning in the senate race if he scores a knockout win over Bradley in their trilogy fight.
But Pacquiao has been on a long knockout holiday dating back six years ago when he scored a KO win against Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico. Reminded of this long KO drought, Roach admitted that Pacquiao’s KO record isn’t good at 147 but added that the eight-division world champ is motivated for this fight.
“Yeah, (Pacquiao)’s not been a big puncher at 147,” said Roach, who just celebrated his 56th birthday in Pacquiao’s hometown of General Santos City. “He knocks out all sorts of guys at 140. I don’t think he’s had one at 147. But, for this, he’s highly motivated. He wants to go out a shining star. I told him a KO means he’ll do better in the Senate race. With a KO, the country will go crazy,” Roach told RingTV.com.
Pacquiao’s rating in the past electoral surveys since he filed his official Certificate of Candidacy late last year has been consistent at between 8th to 11th place. In the upcoming senatorial election, only 12 senate bets will be chosen to replace the 12 incumbent senators whose terms have expired.
But Pacquiao’s rating suffered a sharp drop after his controversial statement about same-sex marriage which drew widespread outrage from the lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community. At the height of the controversy, Pacquiao was eased out of the Magic 12 winning senators in a survey conducted last February.
After dealing with the same-sex marriage issue which included a public apology for his statement about same sex-marriage, Pacquiao’s rating bounced back and now he has even surpassed the highest rating in the past surveys.
Pacquiao’s all-time high survey rating could also be attributed to an election-related petition lodged by fellow senatorial candidate before the election body asking for the postponement of the Pacquiao-Bradley fight.
The petitioner claimed that the fight will give Pacquiao a headway in the campaign because of the massive advertisement and promotions that will put Pacquiao’s name in the headlines.
Roach believes that Pacquiao will go for a knockout win on fight night. He has earlier predicted that Pacquiao will knockout Bradley inside nine rounds.
