Manny Pacquiao is back home in the Philippines after his November 13 victory over Antonio Margarito, and is ready to get back to his job as congressman, a job that his trainer Freddie Roach feels is a serious distraction to Manny’s boxing career.
Politics and boxing are both fighting for Manny’s attention and it seems these days he is more politician than boxer — as witnessed by his decision to fly out to Las Vegas deep in training to support Senate Majority leader Harry Reid during his reelection campaign. Manny also seemed political in the boxing ring when he decided to carry a badly beaten Antonio Margarito in the later rounds instead of going for the finish like the Manny Pacquiao of old who showed no mercy on opponents destroying them the moment they showed a sign of weakness.
Pacquiao will be turning 32 in December and he was recently asked at news conference when he intends to retire from the sport of boxing to fully focus on his political career.
“Not too long from now,” he said. “But I don’t want to go beyond 35.”
Manny also said he was willing to face his Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez in a rubbermatch, but feels the fight won’t excite the boxing fans.
“I think people are not so interested … because if I were a boxing fan, I would not watch Pacquiao vs. Marquez,” he said.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said his main goal now is to try and make the super-fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr happen, if Mayweather isn’t ready to fight Manny Pacquiao or isn’t interested, Arum has the options of Sugar Shane Mosley, a third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez at 140-pounds should Marquez defeat Michael Katsidis on November 27, the winner of Timothy Bradley vs. Devon Alexander, or WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto who faces Freddy Hernandez on HBO this weekend on the undercard of Marquez vs. Katsidis.
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