Scripture and sport: Bible bolsters Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao never stopped being religious. But his connection with God was in need of an adjustment.

The WBO welterweight champion and congressman from the Philippines has altered his lifestyle in the wake of his relationship with Pastor Jeric Soriano, whom Pacquiao met last December in Manila. And as he prepares to face Timothy Bradley on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden, Pacquiao does so with a newfound inner peace. He says he's faithful to his wife, Jinkee. He has abstained from gambling and alcohol, and has even put two of his favorite passions - basketball and music - on hold, preferring to read scripture in Soriano's Bible study classes.

"It has really helped," Pacquiao said. "If you have a live spirit in yourself, then you have peace, love, gentleness, peace of mind, joy and self-control. I stopped gambling, drinking and girls, and the careless words that come out of my mouth.

"I found the right way to follow God and how to obey his commandments. I haven't felt distracted."

Soriano runs the New Life Christian Center in the Philippines, and he and Pacquiao have grown close in their brief time together. He accompanied Pacquiao to the United States, where Pacquiao finished his training for Bradley in Los Angeles, and he will be with Pacquiao this week in Las Vegas.

Why trust Soriano?

"I had been talking to different pastors and teachers of the Lord," Pacquiao said. "But I think it's the spirit and knowledge to find people to lead you and guide you to read the Bible, and I found that (with Soriano)."

Soriano said he didn't envision his relationship with Pacquiao evolving the way it has.

"We did a little Bible study in his house in Manila, said goodbye, and that was it," Soriano said. "Next week, he calls me again and asks me if I can do another Bible study. I said 'Sure.' But the real trust happened on the third week. He said, 'Pastor, you need to come to my home in General Santos City.' I said 'Why?' and he said, 'You need to teach to my family and my friends what you've taught me. I need you to spend five days with me.'

"I had to rearrange my schedule, but it was God saying, 'Make that commitment. Reach out to him so he can reach out to help others.' That's when our relationship really grew."

Soriano, who has been involved in the ministry for 22 years, had his own epiphany when he was a young man. He had been out partying with his friends in Manila one night, and as some of them piled into a car, he elected to not join them. The car collided with a truck and all the occupants died.

"I was 19, 20, and when I went to the funeral, I realized that could have been me," he said. "I was searching for answers, and I didn't know if there was a God or not. I was a church-goer, but I was going to please my parents, so I was going for the wrong reasons.

"Someone gave me a Bible and I read it. But it wasn't easy at first. I had no connection. The fellow who gave me the book said, 'You know why you don't have a connection? It's because your spirit is dead.' It wasn't until I accepted Christ that I was able to connect with the Bible.

"I don't think Manny was spiritually dead when I met him. I knew he was already searching. He was hungry for someone to teach him the word of God."

Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, has seen the difference.

"He is spiritually awakened," Arum said. "I think it's going to work wonders for him.

"The last time I saw someone embrace his religion like this was (Muhammad) Ali, and it didn't hurt him. But this is different. Ali was much younger when he embraced Islam. Manny is in his early 30s. But I haven't seen a transformation like this since Ali."

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, said his fighter's re-dedication to his religion has given him more resolve in the ring.

"He has more focus and more energy," Roach said. "In the past, he'd come to the gym with rings under his eyes from getting so little sleep because he'd been out late all night. Now, he shows up feeling fresh, and when he's done, he does his Bible study and goes to sleep. I have no doubt it's going to make Manny a better fighter."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.