Does superstar boxer turned senator Manny Pacquiao really want to fight again, or is it just his promoter Bob Arum who wants him to do so? Arum recently revealed how he had put the date of October 15th “on hold” for a Pacquiao ring return. Arum stated how he believes the former eight-weight king wants to fight again, and he reserved the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas for Oct. 15th, “just in case.”
Well, according to Pac-Man’s long-time business manager Eric Pineda, who spoke with The Manila Times, Pacquiao is wholly devoted to his senatorial duties and is way too busy to think about returning to box in just over three months’ time. Pineda says Manny “will not return in October.”
“That’s what the promoter [Bob Arum] is trying to do, convincing Manny to fight in October, but it won’t happen, not so fast,” Pineda said. “There are a lot of things to do as a senator. Manny will not return in October. That is very hard because he is a working senator now. It is a tougher job than being a congressman. But as I’ve [also] said, who knows? Manny might have a change of heart. It’s not going to happen now.”
Arum is reportedly due to fly into Manila shortly after the July 4 celebrations, and he said, “Let’s see what Manny’s decision will be after we talk there.”
So, again, does Pacquiao really want to fight again, or does Arum want him to? It would be great to be a fly on the wall when the planned meeting Arum is looking forward to with Pac-Man takes place. Is Manny the boss with regards to his possibly still ongoing boxing career, or does the Top Rank head man always have the final word?
As for the fans: do you have an urge to see Pacquiao fight again? Hasn’t the one-time dynamo who rolled over all that was in front of him done enough in the squared circle, and is now entitled, more than entitled, to fully devote himself to his other love, politics? Yes, Pacquiao looked good in his winning rubber-match with Tim Bradley back in April, but the promised KO, the desire KO, never came. Better now for Pacquiao to stay out, having won and not suffered a nasty KO defeat the kind he fell victim to in late 2012 when he again went to war with Juan Manuel Marquez.
But of course, if Pacquiao does have a genuine urge, or need, to fight again, so be it. But it must be his choice. Just as any comeback would have to be against an elite fighter or forget it. Let’s hope Pacquiao will make his own decision and tell Arum what HE wants to do.