Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao was so inspired by the win of Miss Philippines Pia Wurtzbach during the 2015 Miss Universe pageant that he is going to use her victory as an inspiration for his next match.
"Remember, when I lost to Floyd last May, she made a promise to all of us Filipinos that she will avenge that defeat come the Miss Universe pageant, which she just has fulfilled," Pacquiao told the Philippine Star. "I intend to use (Wurtzbach's win) as an inspiration and additional motivation for me in my next fight. That's why I also promise to dedicate my next fight to her and to my countryman and that I will do my best to win."
Wurtzbach's win became very controversial when pageant host Steve Harvey initially announced that Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez won the title. After a few minutes with the crown on her head, Harvey retracted and admitted his mistake - it was actually Miss Philippines who won. Gutierrez was then forced to have the crown taken off her head and given to its rightful owner.
Pacquiao praised Wurtzbach during that awkward moment, saying that the beauty queen showed true humility. "Courage is grace under pressure," Pacquiao said. "This is what Pia showed in the middle of the confusion and controversy that marked her coronation as the new Miss Universe."
Meanwhile, Wurtzbach said that as happy as she was because of her victory, she also felt concern for her fellow contestant.
"I felt calm when I was called first runner-up because I felt it was fate," she said. "But when they announced that I was Miss Universe, I had mixed emotions. I was happy because I really wanted to win but felt sad for Miss Colombia... I even tried to approach her after (but) I couldn't get near as she was surrounded by the Latin American contestants."
She hopes that audiences around the world will not peg her as the villain in the scenario. "I won Miss Universe based on the judges' vote... It's not as if I took the crown from her," she said.
