Manny Pacquiao may retire should his May 2016 run for Philippine senator prove successful. His longtime promoter Bob Arum revealed that his client would eventually want to focus on his political career in his home country. Pacquiao is scheduled for an April 9 fight despite not having an official opponent.
According to the Inquirer, Congressman Manny Pacquiao may retire from the world of boxing should his senatorial run for the Philippine elections on May 2016 prove successful. He has long been rates as the best pound-for-pound boxer by ESPN, Sports Illustrated and BoxRec. He is the first and only eight-division world champion, winning ten world titles, and is currently the second highest paid athlete in the industry as of 2015.
Another article from MMA Mania reported that his longtime promoter Bob Arum has scheduled a match for April 9, 2016 even without an official venue or an opponent. Arum revealed that Pacquiao's departure from boxing is heavily influenced by his desire to focus on Philippine politics. He said, "We talked very seriously, and he said, 'Bob, hopefully, by the middle of May I will have been elected senator in the Philippines, and at that point I cannot engage in boxing because I need to focus on the senate and I have to be in attendance.' Manny told me this fight on April 9 will be his last fight."
Pacquiao is known to delve in other activities besides boxing, some of which include basketball, business, acting and even music recording. He was elected to represent his home province of Sarangani the House of Representatives in the 15th Congress of the Philippines in May 2010. He was then reelected in 2013 to the 16th Congress of the Philippines.
According to Pundit Arena, potential opponents for Pacquiao include Terence Crawford, Amir Khan as well as Juan Manuel Marquez who he has already challenged four times. Although Pacquiao is still open for a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr., the latter's representative Leonard Ellerbe said that Mayweather is already retired and it may not be possible.
Pacquiao is scheduled for a final boxing match on April 9, 2016. It remains unclear where the fight will take place or who he will be matched against. It is intended as the concluding fight before he retires for political reasons.
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