Pacquiao: To retire or not

THERE’S nobody like promoter Bob Arum when it comes to waking up the boxing press and fans. This week the ageless top honcho of Top Rank announced through ESPN.com that a fight is in the works for eight-time world champion Manny Pacquiao later this year.

Nothing unusual about that except that Pacquiao had answered “Yes,” he was retiring when asked after his unanimous win over Timothy Bradley last April.

So what really gives? Pacquiao has also issued a statement that there is nothing definite about an upcoming fight but no doors have been closed on the sport that has become his life.

Clearly, Pacquiao wants to do better as a senator where performance is easier to detect and assess than as congressman. There are fewer senators to follow compared to hundreds of representatives in the Lower House. Pacquiao has been chided for his frequent absences from congressional work and would surely like to make up for that with a better job in the Senate.

Pacquiao has always contended that boxing is his main source of income and there is no argument there. Critics are quick to blurt out however that Pacquiao has already more income than can be imagined by any ordinary working Filipino. Why therefore should there be a need to make any more dollars?

Let’s come to terms with the reality that Pacquiao’s money is a personal matter and he alone can determine how much more he needs to earn or spend. Income is a private concern regardless if one earns millions or a few hundreds a month. If Pacquiao wants to fight on because of financial reasons, then that is his call.

The concern of many perhaps is the fear that Pacquiao will suffer the fate of stubborn ring warriors who felt that the call of boxing was too difficult to resist. The ring gladiators will say that a warrior will always need a battle for life to have meaning. That’s why we’ve seen fighters retire, then return to the ring, then retire again. Most of the time, the result is not exactly a positive one.

Pacquiao claims to be still fit and young enough to wage battle. Pacquiao’s age of 37 is arguably not the same as it was decades ago when training and nutrition were a far cry from how sophisticated they are today. We all know how vigorously Pacquiao prepares for his fights. Just like his income, his personal well being and putting it at risk in the ring are his calls.

It’s just that a grateful nation that has dubbed Pacquiao its Pambansang Kamao (National Fist) might not be able to preserve the memories of his heroic victories because of a meaningless fight against an upstart for no world title in particular.

If Pacquiao wins then life probably goes on but if he loses then we get to play our favorite blame game.