HONOLULU—Amid criticisms that Manny Pacquiao’s victory against Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez was less than convincing, President Aquino asked Filipinos not to take anything away from the way he rose from adversity to become a world champion in eight weight divisions.

“Let’s remember where Manny came from, how he shaped himself, how he became a champion and repeatedly became a champion in many eight categories,” President Aquino told reporters in an informal talk following his official activities on Saturday here.

“There are people who admire those who just got lucky. Here, we have someone who strived to reach where he is now and let’s not take that away from Manny,” he added.

President Aquino was also asked to react to the remarks made by Pacquiao’s coach Freddie Roach on CNN that the Filipino boxer was more powerful than the Philippine President.

“In boxing, most probably,” President Aquino said amid laughter.

“So, and of course part of that is hype leading up to the fight. And let us take it away from the coach, Freddie Roach has really molded Manny into perhaps the peak of his abilities. So we thank him also in behalf of the people,” he added.

The CNN interview with Roach and Pacquiao happened a day before the fight.

President Aquino also dismissed the implications of Pacquio’s statement in the interview wherein the boxer said the US was “the best country in the world.”

“If that were the case, I guess he would be residing here but he sees so much potential also in the Philippines,” President Aquino said.

“He has been championing a lot of causes that we have also championed and he has also been helping us address the ills that he and I, and all of us have inherited,” he added.

Originally posted at 07:58 am | Monday, Nov. 14, 2011