Pacquiao still mulling over invite to judge Miss Universe

PACQUIAO

MANILA, Philippines—If Manny Pacquiao accepts the invite, the boxer-congressman-basketball player will be adding another item to the already long list of roles he plays: That of a prestigious beauty pageant judge.

Speaking to the media during the turnover ceremony for his P5-million donation to Habitat for Humanity on Monday, Pacquiao said he had been invited to judge Miss Universe, adding he had not yet made a decision on the issue.

“Wala pa. Invited lang ako,” the premier Philippine boxer said.

In an interview with The Telegraph last month, Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum said the boxer was scheduled to be a judge in the tilt in 2015. “The only thing we’re planning with Pacquiao (early in 2015) is that he’s going to be a judge at one of these beauty contests … the one in Miami, in January,” Arum said.

Pacquiao judging the pageant is seen as a big boost to the efforts of the Philippines’ candidate, MJ Lastimosa.

Apart from his boxing duties, the Sarangani representative is also a playing coach for Kia Sorento of the Philippine Basketball Association.

This year’s Miss Universe pageant will be held on January 25 in Miami, Florida.

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