Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Reid meets with boxing’s Manny Pacquiao, shows off battle scars

Harry Reid

J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, 75, talks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015, for the first time since he suffered an eye injury and broken ribs on New Year’s Day accident while exercising at his home in Henderson.

Still sporting a bruised jaw, swollen right eye and eye patch after a New Year’s Day exercise accident, Sen. Harry Reid looks every bit like he got into a sparring match with boxer Manny Pacquiao.

But there was no fight between Nevada’s senior senator and the champ. The two embraced in Reid’s Capitol Hill office today as Pacquiao swung through Washington.

Pacquiao, a former Filipino politician, asked about economic development legislation in Congress that would benefit his native country. Reid wished Pacquiao the best on his potential upcoming fight with Floyd Mayweather, tentatively set for May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Reid, who is in the middle of his first full week back in the Senate since the accident, told Pacquiao about how he was using an exercise band at his home in Henderson when it snapped, catapulting him into a set of built-in cabinets. He suffered a concussion, broke four ribs and smashed bones around his right eye.

The Senate Democratic leader underwent surgery Jan. 26 to remove a blood clot in his eye that could blind him. Doctors are hopeful he’ll recover his vision, though it’s possible he’ll need another surgery.

Reid is a former boxer and fan of the sport. He’s chummy with Bob Arum, a Las Vegas boxing promoter who handles Pacquiao, and the senator goes to fights in Las Vegas when he can.

In 2013, Reid met with Mike Tyson to discuss the pardoning of late boxer Jack Johnson.

A few days after Reid’s accident, he released a video joking about how his injuries look like he sparred with Pacquiao.

“I didn’t get this black eye by sparring with Manny, by challenging Floyd Mayweather,” Reid said. “I didn’t go bull riding. I wasn’t riding a motorcycle. I was exercising in my new home.”

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