Arum to Pacquiao: Fight Floyd Mayweather or retire

(L-R): CEO of Mayweather Promotions Leonard Ellerbe, WBC/WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, and Top Rank Founder and CEO Bob Arum pose during a news conference at the KA Theatre at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino on April 29, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. AFP PHOTO / JOHN GURZINSKI / AFP PHOTO / JOHN GURZINSKI

Veteran boxing promoter Bob Arum believes Manny Pacquiao should retire from the sport soon unless he can land a lucrative rematch with Floyd Mayweather.

Arum, who promoted Pacquiao during the Filipino icon’s golden years, told the World Boxing News website he wanted to see the 40-year-old hang up his gloves soon.

Pacquiao, who won a bruising 12-round battle with Keith Thurman to capture the WBA welterweight crown in July, has not scheduled his next fight.

But Arum said he believed Pacquiao, who turns 41 in December, would be risking lasting damage if he extends his career much further.

“Pacquiao, I promoted him for many, many years,” Arum told World Boxing News.

“He’s an exceptionally good human being, really a fine guy, extraordinarily charitable and a delight.

“But he’s (almost) 41-years-old. And if you’re 41 you can’t take punishment. You can’t take blows like he did in the Thurman fight.

“Sure, he won that fight – but he took a lot of punishment. That punishment is going to have a serious effect on how he lives the rest of is life.”

Arum, who earlier this year said he feared Pacquiao risked brain damage before his fight with Thurman, said however the Filipino should consider a rematch with Mayweather.

Mayweather, who is now retired, defeated Pacquiao in their 2015 “Fight of the Century” which largely failed to live up to the hype.

“If he gets Mayweather, do that fight and retire,” said Arum. “If he doesn’t get Mayweather he should retire. It’s not worth it for him to continue boxing.”