Manny Pacquiao announces ring return against Timothy Bradley Jnr on April 9

Manny Pacquiao will return to the ring April 9 to fight welterweight champion Timothy Bradley Jnr for a third time, promoter Bob Arum said Wednesday.

And although Pacquiao is seeking election to the Philippines Senate, he and Arum have agreed not to market this as his final bout.

Pacquiao has repeatedly said he is hopeful to return with an impressive performance and then try to talk unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jnr out of retirement for a rematch.

Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 knockouts) has been sidelined since a May 2 unanimous-decision loss to Mayweather in a record-setting bout in which Pacquiao aggravated a shoulder injury suffered in training.

On his Facebook page this week, Pacquiao, 37, declared the surgically repaired shoulder “100 per cent” in a Q and A with fans.

Pacquiao appeared to have his way with Bradley in their June 2012 and April 2014 fights but judges C.J. Ross and Duane Ford scored the 2012 bout for Bradley.