Pacquiao bares plan to retire next year

QUEZON CITY/GENERAL SANTOS CITY -– World boxing icon and congressman Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao is ready to hang up his gloves and retire next year.
If the plan pushes through, Pacquiao’s next fight with American champion Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas on June 9 may be his final battle in the ring.
Pacquiao is guarranteed a prize money of $25 million, his biggest so far, while Bradley reportedly will get $5 million, also his biggest prize also. Bradley’s biggest prize money so far was $1 million or thereabouts. 

Pacquiao’s possible retirement could now put in jeopardy the dream fight between the Filipino boxing hero, owner of eight championship belts in as many divisions and long-time pound-for-pound king, and another illustrious world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. The Pacquiao-Mayweather fight has loomed as possibly the richest ring fight with each boxer assured of $50  million.
With his impending retirement, the ring icon’s  fourth face-off with Marquez also appears in limbo.
In radio and television interviews, Pacquiao said he has bid goodbye to his prized fighting cocks, gambling and casino games and other vices was now devoting more time to his family and the word of God through bible studies.
Pacquiao even explained that he has now realized that fighting in the boxing ring and elsewhere maybe un-Christian. He said he is giving up his boxing gloves for good in favor of his faith and “Bible-centered” life.
“Hindi maganda na nagse-share ako ng salita ng Panginoon tapos nananakit ako ng kapwa (It’s not right that I share God’s word and at the same time hurt other people),” Pacquiao said at the oath-taking of newly-promoted personnel of the Army’s 73rd Infantry Battalion in Maasim town in Sarangani.
The Sarangani lawmaker, who already made a good fortune from his boxing exploits since his ring debut 16 years ago, said he wants to concentrate more on sharing his faith and at the same time on helping his poor constituents.
“I’ve gained more than enough blessings these past years so I think it’s time for me to return the favor,” he said in Filipino.
In September last year, Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank was reported in the media as saying that the former supposedly plans to retire from boxing by the end of 2013 after running for governor of Sarangani province.
Pacquiao’s mother Dionisia had asked him several times to quit boxing and just focus on his businesses and budding political career but to no avail.
On the other hand, Pacquiao said he would only retire from boxing once his famed trainer Freddie Roach sees him slowing down or his vaunted punching power waning out.
After his controversial unanimous win over Mexican nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez last November, Pacquiao was initially reported to have started attending Bible studies through the help of a Protestant pastor.
Mayor Reynaldo Constantino of Malungon, Sarangani, a close ally of Pacquiao, earlier said the latter has so far become a “changed man” as a result of his new found passion for studying the Bible.
Pacquiao, who made the headlines in the past for his alleged affairs with other women as well as his gambling and drinking habits, has reportedly sold a casino that he operates in a Manila hotel and disposed of his fighting cocks.
He also shut down recently his J-Mix restaurant and bar, where he used to treat his friends for drinks and billiard games.
Earlier this month, Pacquiao accepted an offer from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines to become the Church’s “Bible ambassador.”
With his impending retirement, the ring icon’s highly-anticipated showdown with undefeated American champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. and fourth face-off with Marquez now appears in limbo.
The Pacquiao camp earlier tried to sign up Mayweather Jr. for a May 5 brawl but the initial talks eventually went nowhere reportedly due to differences on the sharing percentages of the mega-fight’s anticipated earnings.
Mayweather Jr. decided instead to go with Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto while Pacquiao settled on Bradley for their May and June fights, respectively.
Two years ago, the two future boxing hall of famers were supposed to be primed up for a fight but it was later scrapped after both camps failed to agree on their pre-fight drug testing method.