Analysis: Manny Pacquiao’s political talk dirties his boxing goodwill

One of the most endearing traits that lure the public to a politician is the idea that the person seeking elected office remembers where they came from.

Manny Pacquiao, chasing a Senate seat in the Philippines, lost sight of that this week.

Pacquiao, in a television interview in his home country, denounced gay relationships by saying if gays don’t understand how to distinguish male from female, “then [they are] worse than animals.”

The former eight-division world-champion boxer was quickly and deservedly derided for the insensitive remarks, and he issued an apology on Twitter:

“I’m sorry for hurting people by comparing homosexuals to animals. Please forgive me for those I’ve hurt. God bless!”

He’s opposed to same-sex marriage – a stance that unfortunately needs to be revealed in his political race -- but also posted on his Facebook page that he is “not condemning lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people,” adding, “I’m praying for you.”

Nevertheless, Pacquiao’s well-paying sponsor Nike has dropped him, and Jason Collins, the NBA’s first openly gay player, tweeted, “Bigoted people like you (and, yes, you are one) should never hold an office in politics.”

Having covered Pacquiao’s fights since 2006, I’ve known him to be one of the kindest, most generous athletes I’ve ever crossed paths with. And that’s not just with a Los Angeles Times reporter who helps Pacquiao build his audience.

I’ve witnessed everyday people who ask for his time after a workout at Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood accommodated with a personal exchange. In the hours after his May loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr., Pacquiao allowed his hotel suite to be packed with visitors – friends, countrymen and others.

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Rated as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, Manny Pacquiao was already called the best boxer in the 2000s. At the age of 35 with a record of 56 wins, five losses and two ties, Pacquiao shows no sign of slowing down.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Pacquiao’s professional boxing career started in 1995 and he boxed primarily in the Philippines until 2001. In his 2001 debut in the United States against Lehlohonolo Ledwaba of South Africa, Pacquiao won by TKO in six rounds.  (Laura Rauch / Associated Press)

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Before facing Mexico’s Erik Morales in March 19, 2005, in Las Vegas, Pacquiao had not lost since September 1999. Morales won by unanimous decision to take the WBC international super featherweight title.  (Eric Jamison / Associated Press)

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Ten months later, Pacquiao faced Erik Morales again. Pacquiao knocked Morales out in the 10th round. It was the first time Morales was knocked out in his boxing career.   (Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images)

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Pacquiao trades punches with David Diaz during their WBC lightweight championship boxing match June 28, 2008, in Las Vegas. Pacquiao won by knockout in the ninth round.  (Eric Jamison / Associated Press)

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Pacquiao celebrates after knocking out Oscar de la Hoya -- nicknamed “The Golden Boy” -- in the eighth round in the highly anticipated match on Dec. 6, 2008. De La Hoya retired shortly after the loss.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Pacquiao knocked out British boxer Ricky Hatton in the second round of the junior welterweight title fight on May 2, 2009. Hatton retired after the match. Pacquiao became the second boxer in history to win six titles from six different weight categories.  (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Supporters cheer at a celebration event in Los Angeles after Pacquiao defeated Ricky Hatton. In 2008, Pacquiao received the Philippines Legion of Honor for bringing honor to his country from the boxing ring.  (Ringo H.W. Chiu / For The Times)

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Pacquiao is mobbed by supporters during his campaign trip in the southern Philippines in 2010. Pacquiao ran for a congressional seat in his home province of Sarangani and was elected in 2010 and 2013.  (Bullit Marquez / Associated Press)

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On June 6, 2012, Pacquiao lost to American Timothy Bradley on a split decision at the WBO welterweight championship match. It was Pacquiao’s first loss since his loss to Erik Morales in 2005.  (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)

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Referee Kenny Bayless, center, holds back Juan Manuel Marquez, right, as Pacquiao lies face down and knocked out in the sixth round of a match in December 2012 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. It was the first time Pacquiao lost consecutive matches in his 18-year career.  (John Gurzinski / AFP/Getty Images)

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Philippine boxer Manny Pacquiao throws out the first pitch before a game between the Dodgers and Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 1, 2014.  (Gus Ruelas / Associated Press)

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Two years after his loss to Timothy Bradley, Pacquiao squared off with Bradley again on April 12, 2014, for the WBO welterweight title. Pacquiao won in a unanimous decision, taking back his welterweight title.  (Joe Klamar / AFP/Getty Images)

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Manny Pacquiao, right, punches Chris Algieri during their welterweight title fight at The Venetian in Macao on Sunday. Pacquiao won in a 12-round decision.  (Xaume Olleros / AFP/Getty Images)

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Manny Pacquiao, right, knocks down Chris Algieri during their welterweight title fight at The Venetian in Macao on Sunday.  (Chris Hyde / Getty Images)

He’s a people person.

Pacquiao is beloved in his country and by many in the U.S. because he made himself from nothing.

He gave his mother his first boxing “purse” so she could buy rice. He sold items on the street to scrap by. Even when he started receiving world-championship money, he’d hand out cash to lines of people who swarmed his home in the Philippines.

It didn’t matter then if someone he encountered was gay, just like it shouldn’t matter for a politician who has presidential ambitions and is supposed to represent every person in his district.

Pacquiao has taken pride in working to build a hospital and help bring education to his congressional district in the country.

Fair or not, his toxic words left the impression he’d rather those services not apply to people he holds such little regard for, a possibly destructive stance taken by such an otherwise kind man.

Remember where you came from, Manny, to a place that embraced your happy, spirited and entertaining ways even after you admittedly slipped in your personal life and were led to be re-born by some dubious religious leaders who apparently had you focus on the more divisive readings.

Read this: Healing this will take more than an apology.

Pacquiao, 37, has said his April 9 welterweight title fight against champion Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas will be his final bout before embarking on a demanding political career, with the Senate election in May.

Too bad he couldn’t reach the finish line in sports without becoming just another politician who inspired our most positive thoughts before doing something that revealed him as something far less than most of us.

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