After winning a congressional seat by a landslide, many fans of Manny Pacquiao were worried about whether his new position would affect his boxing career.
Having publicly discussed retirement several times in the past as well as already having a full schedule, many think the addition of yet another activity would be one too many duck eggs for Pacquiao to juggle.
Undoubtedly his appointment as congressman will have an effect on his boxing career, but probably not in the same way we might imagine.
Firstly and most importantly, aside from the money he is given by the government, Pacquiao has ambitious plans for his province. Plans that will cost him a lot of his own money, and the only place he can get his hand on that kind of money? Boxing.
He is already set for life and doesn’t have to fight again for even his grandchildren to be wealthy, but first and foremost Manny is a philanthropist. His one weakness other than counter punchers is that he is too generous to the point that he has to employ a professional ‘bad guy’ like Micheal Koncz to look after his best interests. It is this sense of responsibility and generosity he feels towards the many poor people in his country that will keep him fighting.
The second big reason that he will stay fighting for the foreseeable future is simply because he needs to remain popular. As a politician he will only ever be able to please some of the people, and even the most effective politician makes bad moves now and then. At athlete such as Pacquiao though is almost universally praised, and the resonant popularity from his fights will allow him more leeway as a politician. Also if the rumors of a higher office bid in the future have any truth to them, he will need a sizable war chest for campaigning costs.
Leo Goldsmith, Pittsburgh: “Pacquiao has said he promises to have one more fight, but do you think he will go on after this?”
Pacquiao tends to give a lot of mixed statements about how long he will be fighting for, and has also said recently he feels he has three fights left in him. Also often when he says one more fight, this means he has negotiated with his mother for her blessing for one more fight. Although she would prefer him to retire, this pattern of allowing him one more fight has been in place for some time now.
The last reason Pacquiao won’t retire just yet is simply because there is one last big fight he wants, and by the looks of things he might not get it. Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao come from different worlds and really don’t understand the viewpoint of the other. He won’t hang around for ever to try to fight Floyd, but it might well keep him interested for a few more years yet. Fights against any of the other challengers in the division are little more than a lucrative night’s work at this stage for either fighter. Fighting each other would be the crowning jewel in two already excellent careers.
Brendan Smith, Pittsburgh: “Pacquiao being in an office and speaking in public is probably better for his ring health than him playing pool all night or singing in some smoky Karaoke bar, I don’t know what people are worried about”
George Shearer, Philly: “Pacquiao beat that skinny dude he was up against in the polls, now he needs to beat Mayweather and take that smirk off his face once and for all”
