By James Slater – Earlier this week, a news story broke that informed us how boxing superstar and P-4-P king Manny Pacquiao had had a dream in which God told him to retire. The subsequent statement by Pac-Man, that retirement many not be too far away as a result of his religious experience (no small thing for any fighter – remember heavyweight legend George Foreman’s decision to up and quit after being visited by The Almighty in that steamy dressing room in Puerto Rico in 1977?) was enough to worry promoter Bob Arum.
Arum, talking to The Manila Bulletin, expressed his concerns:
“I am worried a bit because these are the things you don’t say when preparing for a fight,” The Top Rank boss said. “He will retire in 2013..”
Usually, whatever Arum says goes as far as Pacquiao is concerned. Loyal to Uncle Bob in a big way (to the extent that certain boxing people have expressed the opinion that Manny would be a whole lot better off without Arum), Pacquiao fights when Arum says, against who Arum says. So, if Arum says the 33-year-old superstar will not walk away from the ring until 2013, this will likely be the case. Also, trainer Freddie Roach has dismissed talk of an imminent retirement.
And Pac-Man himself, in an interview yesterday with The Freeman, said “Retiring is still far from my mind. I know I can still fight.”
Next up, as fans know, is the unbeaten Tim Bradley. Should Pac-Man do as Roach predicts and look good in getting a stoppage win on June 19th, at least one further fight will be likely. And we all know who we’d like that one fight to be against! Fellow megastar Floyd Mayweather Junior.
For as long as these two great fighters are active, fans, experts, writers and anyone else involved with the sport will not give up hope that the two will some day square off in what could be the richest boxing match of all-time.
Maybe, just maybe, 2013 will be the lucky year in which the super-fight finally happens!