MANNY Pacquiao has confrmed that he will suit up in Mahindra's game against Alaska in the PBA Governors Cup on Wednesday, saying it was management's decision to activate him after Enforcers starting guard LA Revilla suffered a broken nose in practice.
Speaking during a break in the Senate session on Tuesday, the Mahindra playing-coach made it clear he didn't volunteer to resume playing for a team that is off to the best start in franchise history with three wins in its first three games.
The last thing he wants to do is mess up the team's chemistry, Pacquiao told SPIN.ph.
"Kinausap ako ng management, sila ang nag-request (na i-activate ako)," said Pacquiao. "Lalaro ako bukas pero sinabi ko sa kanila na sa isang kundisyon: na hindi maka-apekto sa team (ang pagpasok ko).
"Mga boss ng team ang kumausap sa akin, hindi ako nag-volunteer. Masaya na ako na natutuwa ang team pag kasama nila ako, ganun rin ako pag kasama sila."
[See After unretiring as a boxer, Pacquiao set for PBA comeback after being activated by Mahindra]
Pacquiao is looking forward to playing in just his seventh PBA game in two years as Mahindra playing-coach - and his first since going scoreless on 0-of-4 shooting in a game against the Aces last November 6.
His PBA comeback also comes less than two months after being elected to the Senate, but both Pacquiao and Mahindra insisted the Alaska game won't interfere with his legislative work.
Mahindra officials said the game won't run in conflict with the Senate sessions.
The eight-division world champion, who recently announced that he's unretiring as a boxer, will be taking the place of Revilla who is out two weeks after breaking his nose bridge in an accident in practice.
Revilla is set to undergo a surgical procedure to bring the fractured nasal cartridge back into place at Cardinal Santos Hospital, team officials said.
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