MANNY PACQUIAO SAID he was looking forward to swapping the boxing ring for the political arena as the countdown began towards his farewell fight with long-time American rival Timothey Bradley in April.
Pacquiao, whose last bout was the money-spinning ‘Fight of the Century’ with Floyd Mayweather last May, insisted he will hang up his gloves for good after the third and final installment of his rivalry with Bradley.
The 37-year-old eight-division world champion is planning to run for a seat in the Philippines senate later this year after already serving as a representative in the Asian country’s congress.
“I’m so happy to be hanging up my gloves after this fight,” Pacquiao said.
“I’m sure I will feel sad but that’s life. You can’t keep on fighting all the time. But it’s time, I think.
“I started out in boxing because I wanted to help my family, my mother. Now I’m ending my boxing career because I want to help my countrymen, the Filipino people. I’m ending because I want to serve the people.”
Bradley’s WBO welterweight title will be on the line in the April 9 bout at Las Vegas’s MGM Grand in what is the third meeting of the two fighters.
Bradley, (33-1-1, 13 KOs), won a highly controversial split decision against Pacquiao in their first meeting in 2012.
Pacquiao then won their 2014 rematch in Las Vegas with a comfortable unanimous decision to end Bradley’s undefeated record.
The Filipino slugger (57-6-2, 38 KOs) said he is anticipating a sterner challenge from Bradley in their decisive bout.
