Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, who recently drew heavy flak after he labelled homosexuals as being "worse than animals," was nearly hit from behind by an unidentified assailant at a parking lot outside a Japanese restaurant in Hollywood, California on Sunday.
A stocky white male rushed towards Pacquiao outside the Kabuki restaurant and was about to smack him when the boxer's security aides stopped him, according to the New York Daily News. The attacker then yelled invectives at Pacquiao, accusing him of being a "homophobic," as he was being led away.
"I really thought he was going to hit Manny," said David Sisson, personal assistant to Pacquiao. "He came in fast. He almost got to Manny."
However, Pacquiao seemed unfazed by the attack and simply told his aides, "Let him go. Let him go!" Police were not called as well.
Sisson even quoted Pacquiao as saying that "it's better to love him (the assailant) like (Jesus) Christ loves us."
Pacquiao even joked that the assailant was actually his fan. "Didn't you hear him shouting, 'F@# yow! F@# yow!' It's slang that's why you didn't understand," the 37-year-old boxer said.
He then went straight to his mansion at Plymouth Boulevard and played chess the whole day as if nothing happened, reports said.
Pacquiao is preparing for his April 9 fight with Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas. It will be the third time the two fighters will meet in the ring. Bradley defeated Pacquiao in a controversial split decision in their first fight in June 2012. Pacquiao won the second fight via a unanimous decision in April 2014.
Pacquiao already lost his endorsement deal with sporting giant Nike after making his controversial anti-gay comments. He was also banned from entering The Grove, a popular mall in Los Angeles, because of the remarks he made during a recent TV interview in Manila.
"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," saying, "It's common sense. Do you see animals mating with the same sex? Animals are better because they can distinguish male from female."
"If men mate with men and women mate with women, they are worse than animals," Pacquiao said.
The Filipino boxer was quick to issue an apology on his social media account after the public vehemently reacted to his remarks. Several of Pacquiao's fans forgave him, but others were not so quick to forgive.
"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). "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."
