Filipino boxing great Manny Pacquiao already lost his deal with sporting retail giant Nike after he made derogatory remarks against the LGBT community. Now, those remarks are costing him entrance to The Grove, a popular mall in Los Angeles.
"Manny Pacquiao is no longer welcome," The Grove owner Rick Caruso told TMZ. "These are statements of hatred. A lot of people from the gay community come to The Grove and they have a right not to feel uncomfortable."
Pacquiao earlier told TV5 Network that homosexuals are "worse than animals." "It's common sense. Do you see animals mating with the same sex? Animals are better because they can distinguish male from female," he said. "If men mate with men and women mate with women, they are worse than animals."
Pacquiao was actually prohibited from entering The Grove back in 2012 because of his stance against same-sex marriage, although the ban was eventually lifted.
"Based on news reports of statements made by Mr. Pacquiao, we have made it be known that he is not welcome at The Grove and will not be interviewed here now or in the future," a statement from The Grove read, according to the LA Times. "The Grove is a gathering place for all Angelenos and not a place for intolerance."
Even though Pacquiao's current ban from entering The Grove still remains, the Christian boxer did offer an apology for his offensive comments.
"I'm sorry for hurting people by comparing homosexuals to animals. Please forgive me for those I've hurt," Pacquiao wrote on his Instagram account (@mannypacquiao) last month. "I still stand on my belief that I'm against same sex marriage because of what the Bible says, but I'm not condemning LGBT. I love you all with the love of the Lord. God Bless you all and I'm praying for you."
