Former eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao responded to his promoter Top Rank CEO Bob Arum's comments about him missing a scheduled follow up checkup on his injured shoulder earlier this month.
Pacquiao was set to visit his surgeon Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles, California last July 4 to discuss the rehabilitation process for his shoulder.
But the Filipino slugger missed the appointment and was in Indonesia days ahead of the scheduled checkup to visit Mary Jane Veloso, his countryman who is in death row in Indonesia after heroin was found in her suitcase.
"I respect Bob Arum. He's just like a father to me. I believe he's just voicing out his concern (for) me and I appreciate it. I don't take it negatively," Pacquiao stated according to a report by Yahoo Sports.
The 36-year-old boxing star added, "But he has nothing to worry about (regarding) my injury. I'm doing the rehab myself. I'm recovering faster than expected."
Pacquiao went through surgery five days after his bout against the undefeated Floyd Mayweather last May.
His camp said that the injury was suffered during training and it was aggravated during his fight against Mayweather.
Meanwhile, Arum expressed his dismay on Pacquiao during the weekend when asked about the boxer's future.
Before his statements about Pacquiao missing rehab, Arum has been vocal in the past few months about possible next opponents for his prized boxer.
But when asked last weekend he said Pacquiao is currently not an active fighter adding that he was acting unprofessionally for not attending the medical appointment.
The 83-year-old boxing promoter also said that Pacquiao must know his priorities and that the check up should have been on top of his list because the surgeon will be the one guiding him on the rehabilitation he needs to fully recover.
