Manny Pacquiao to assess Senate workload before mulling return to ring, says promoter Bob Arum

Manny Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, said he’s had “a number of conversations” with the record eight-division world champion and newly elected Philippines senator about his fighting future, and the road map for now is to measure the demands of public service.

Pacquiao, 37, announced his retirement from boxing April 9 after defeating former two-division champion Timothy Bradley Jnr by unanimous decision at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Just over a month later, Pacquiao won election to the Senate with 11 other countrymen, and the workload of those politicians in Manila is far heavier than the duties previously required of Pacquiao in the role of congressman, which he had held since 2010.

Yet, after looking sharp in his comeback from a shoulder injury that preceded his record-selling loss to unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jnr last year, the lure of a Mayweather rematch or another major fight against someone such as Saul “Canelo” Alvarez tugs.

“My counsel to Manny is to take some weeks and see the commitment of a senator, and how much time it will take and whether it leaves time for him to train for a fight,” Arum said. “If the answer is that it’s too time-consuming and overwhelming, that solves the problem.

“If no, he can find time to train, and he wants to, then the question is, ‘Do you want to fight?’ If the answer is yes, then I’ll make him a fight.”