Manny Pacquiao says his fight June 8 could be the last of his career.
Eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao is being paid ready to begin training for his June 9 WBO welterweight title fight against unbeatable Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas. Will it be the final fight of his brilliant career?
Pacquiao isn't sure.
"Maybe, but I'm not saying (Bradley) is the last fight," the 33-year-old Filipino fighter and congressman said by phone Monday. "Maybe I can fight one more. I don't know."
One thing seems to be sure, though. Pacquiao, who has always had strong spiritual convictions, is moving away from the sport and closer to the Catholic Church, which recently named him as an ambassador.
Asked about it, Pacquiao said, "That's what they say … and I'm happy for that. I will give motivation and give confidence people to read the Bible."
The Bible has become a much bigger part of Pacquiao's life recently, and he and his wife, Jinkee, are making it a daily habit. "We need to read the Bible because it's a manual for your life," Pacquiao said. "It's how we enter the Kingdom of God."
Pacquiao has even divest himself of his vices, including his vast cock-fighting operation — which at one time consisted of more than 1,000 birds — shut down his restaurant and bar and his ownership in a Manila casino, and pledged to the Catholic Church to give up drinking and womanizing.
"I have a casino and sold it and all my roosters, stopped drinking alcohol and everything that's not good for following the commandments of God," he said.
Pacquiao said in an interview in the Philippines lately that he realized he was weak before, "and if I had died I consider my soul would have ended in hell."
Pacquiao believes boxing does not fit in with his spiritual lifestyle. "Boxing, for me, hitting each other is not good," he said Monday. "So I was thinking I'm not going to stay long in boxing."
Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, said Monday he's heard stories about Pacquiao's lifestyle changes and it concerns him.
"I haven't seen Manny yet, but I know he's got a very strong faith in God," said Roach, who has trained Pacquiao for more than a decade. "But I haven't seen him so I haven't seen any changes or anything like that.
"We'll get ready for the fight. If it's not there, it's not there, and I'll probably tell him to retire."
Roach says he believe some of the changes may be a blessing.
"He's had too many distractions, so the things he's getting rid of could be a positive," Roach said. "Hopefully he'll pick some better friends there, too."
If Pacquiao fights again after June 9, he'd like it to be against Floyd Mayweather, the fight the world wants to see, but said it'll be Mayweather's decision.
"It's up to him. I'm ready to fight any time," Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao said he told Mayweather he would be OK with a 50-50 split and any blood tests Mayweather wanted.
"But he wants to give me a certain amount and that's it," said Pacquiao. "No pay-per-view sharing for me. How can you fight if you don't share the pay-per-view?"
Pacquiao said he even offered a 45-45 split, with the other 10% going to the winner, which May weather turned down. The pay-per-view income for that fight could approach $160 million.
Roach said he's 100% convinced Mayweather does not want to fight Pacquiao. "When a guy calls you out and makes a brave statement like that on TV, then says he wants a 70-30 split, he's full of (it)," Roach said.
