Manny Pacquiao to assess Senate workload before mulling return to ring, says promoter Bob Arum
Filipino’s promoter says 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
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.
“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.”
“I have been informed by reliable sources on that side that Mayweather has no desire to fight anybody,” Arum said.
Although Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach said he thought it “interesting” that Mayweather has twice visited Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood during the last month, Arum said, “Mayweather is a genius at promotion and publicity. He doesn’t want to give up the limelight, and doing things like that keep him in the limelight … in my opinion.”