Manny Pacquiao in 2010: I'm the greatest boxer ever
"That's me. I'm always smiling," boxing legend Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao told Bob Simon in 2010 about the upbeat way he enters the ring before a fight, psyching out his opponent with his cheerful demeanor.
That same cool expression can be expected this Saturday night in Las Vegas as the Filipino champion squares off against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in what may be the most anticipated fight of the year.
Fans and sports commentators around the world might be consumed with speculation about who will dominate the contest, but Pacquiao seems to be his usual confident self. He told fans at a rally this week: "Relax. I know I'm going to win the fight in the ring," the AP reported.
When 60 Minutes met Pacquiao five years ago, he'd just won a different kind of fight: a political race and a seat in the Filipino congress.
"I already achieved my goals in boxing...and what I want to achieve more is in public service," Pacquiao told Simon. "I want to be a champion there."
Of course, he was already a champion in the Philippines, and the people adored him.
"He literally is the king of the town, biggest thing this town has ever known," producer Michael Gavshon told 60 Minutes Overtime. "Legions of people literally wait days to meet him."
Turns out, the 60 Minutes team was also left waiting when Pacquiao didn't show up for the interview on time. "I don't know whether he just doesn't have any sense of time, which is possible, or he just doesn't care, which I think is probable," Simon told Overtime in 2010. "Listen, he's such a superstar. Why should he worry about keeping ordinary mortals waiting?"
Hours later, when Pacquiao finally arrived, he sat down with Simon and told him the story of his life, beginning with how he got into boxing to make money for his impoverished family.
"He's a really tough kid. He is a rags to riches fighter," Gavshon told Overtime. "He fought for pennies as a child and went on to become the national champion. He's the hoop dreams of the boxing world."
That tough upbringing may be what gives Pacquiao confidence in the ring. When Bob Simon asked him to name the greatest boxer ever, the fighter smiled and said: "Of course, me."