Pacquiao spends Sunday attending worship, bonding with family and friends

Eight division champion Senator Manny Pacquiao on Sunday (Los Angeles time) spent the day bonding with his family and friends, and attended worship a week before his bout with WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas.

A report from Mariz Umali on News To Go showed Pacquiao at the Shepherd Church with his wife, Jinkee, and several of his friends and relatives singing praise songs and listening to holy scriptures.

Pastor Dudley Rutherford invited the Pacquiao couple on stage to bestow his blessings upon the boxing icon's family and his upcoming fight with Vargas on November 5.

"I pray that you protect him. I pray that you honor him. I pray God that you would bless him. I pray that you would bless his marriage with Jinkee and their beautiful children," Rutherford said.

The report said Pacquiao always attended worship and sought for blessings before traveling to Las Vegas in his last five fights in the United States.

Pacquiao said he always felt better when blessed not only during his fight, but in his everyday life.

"Not only in the fight, but in our life we need God. We need our relationship with the Lord… Masaya ako mag-serve sa Panginoon," he said.

Team Pacquiao went to their favorite Japanese restaurant after the worship.

Meanwhile, violinist Roddy Chong visited Pacquiao recently to serenade the senator while having breakfast. Chong is one of the violinists of Celine Dion.

Pacquiao is also set to receive a plaque of recognition from the Filipino American Press Club of California.

The report said Pacquiao will have a last minute training at Griffith Park and three sparring rounds at the Wild Card Gym before traveling to Las Vegas on Monday. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/ALG/KG, GMA News