Manny Pacquiao’s Anta apparel proves there’s money to be made for Chinese brands in the West despite trade war concerns
- Clearly there are profits to be had for Chinese sportswear companies willing to take a crack at the West
- It’s not bad going considering we’re meant to be in the midst of a trade war and a major economic slowdown in China
To everyone but Adrian Broner in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas last Saturday night there was only one winner and that was Manny Pacquiao. The Filipino boxing legend added to his legacy and fuelled hopes for a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jnr after outboxing the delusional Broner over 12 rounds.
There was another winner, though, and their logo was emblazoned on Pacman’s shorts. To the uninitiated it may have looked like the Nike swoosh had been steamed on upside down but it was Chinese brand Anta Sports that provided Pacquiao’s boxing attire, as they have done every fight since a deal was signed in November 2016.
The Chinese brand has had a pretty good week. Their other most high-profile athlete, Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, dropped 44 points on the Los Angeles Lakers in midweek, making his first 10 three pointers to tie an NBA record. He did it all in his signature Anta KT4 sneakers.
Days later the company announced the “All Star” version of the shoes, which will be released ahead of the 28-year-old’s appearance at the upcoming NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte next month. These shoes give a nod to the three-time NBA champion’s overseas persona “China Klay”.
