World boxing champion Manny Pacquiao may be facing his toughest fight yet in or outside the ring: acceptance in Philippine high society.
Local and foreign sports news are awash with reports that Pacquiao - despite placing No 55 in Forbes Magazine's rich celebrity list with US$42 million - was recently 'blackballed' by two tony establishments - the Manila Polo Club and Manila Golf Club.
The term 'blackballed', one Polo Club member explained, refers to the club voting procedure: 'All it takes to disapprove an applicant is two black balls', anonymously cast by anyone in the nine-member board.
'Maybe they think that someone with Pacquiao's social beginnings should be cleaning their pool and manicuring their greens,' New York-based sports columnist Michael Marley said.
'Maybe he could even caddy for 18 holes. Maybe Manny can use the mental reminder, you're not one of them now and you will never be.'
Pacquiao recently bought wife Jinkee her long-cherished 1,500-square-metre dream mansion for 388 million pesos (HK$71 million) in the upmarket gated community of Forbes Park, where the two clubs are also located.
It's been a relatively quick journey out of poverty for Pacquiao, who at 32 recently lunched privately with US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle at the White House.