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| Manny Pacquiao is ready for a career change. |
WE KNEW that Manny Pacquiao would retire eventually. The sport in which he excelled is brutal and punishing to the body. Too much of the pounding and it could damage your mind, too.
In an exclusive interview with ESPN, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said the Filipino fighter's last fight would be in April 2016.
"Manny told me this fight on April 9 will be his last fight," said Arum.
Arum told ESPN that Pacquiao, who is treated like a hero in the Philippines, wants to concentrate on politics after April. Pacquiao said he would be running for one of the 24 Senate seats in the Philippines. He is currently a congressman representing his home province of Sarangani.
The American promoter reiterated the highly popular Pacquiao's desire to eventually run for President of the Philippines and being a Senator is a necessary stepping stone to the presidency.
The opponent for Pacquiao's last fight has not been named yet pending the outcome of several fights before hand.
The 2016 bout would be the 36-year old Pacquiao's first fight since he fought Floyd Mayweather in May this year. Even though he lost by a unanimous decision, Pacquiao reportedly made $180 million from that 12-round fight.
After that fight, Pacquiao revealed he fought with a torn rotator cuff explaining his poor performance. He had successful surgery and is on the mend. He expects to begin training by December.
Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs) is the best fighter the Philippines has ever produced with titles in eight different weight divisions from 112 to 154 pounds. He may have been the best fighter ever when he was in his prime.
The Mayweather and Pacquiao contest was probably the highly anticipated "fight of the century" that took years to negotiate.
By the time was held in May, both fighters were clearly past their prime but the event, which was held in Las Vegas, still garnered the highest purse in history.
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