Pacquiao to retire from boxing in 2013?

AFTER 17 years in the brutal sport of boxing, pound-for-pound king Rep. Manny Pacquiao said he is finally ready to up hang his gloves.

ABS-CBN reported that the 33-year-old Pacquiao, who is currently the world’s best boxer, is keen on retiring from the sweet science next year. He also said that his upcoming World Boxing Organization welterweight title defense against American Timothy Bradley may be his last.

Pacquiao’s reason for calling it a career is because he believes that it isn’t good to be seen fighting now that he is the Catholic Church’s “Bible ambassador.” Pacquiao, who is the congressman of Saranggani, also said he will also focus on his political career.

This could also mean that the much anticipated dream fight between Pacquiao and American superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. will be just as it is—a dream.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao’s arch nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez believes that the Filipino boxing icon will beat Bradley in their world title encounter on June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“I don’t think so, because even though Bradley is a great boxer, and he has skills, he needs the power. He (doesn’t) have that power,” said Marquez in an interview by The Ring Magazine.

“Pacquiao has the speed and Pacquiao has the power. The difference in this fight is power. The difference will be the power punches that Pacquiao has.”

Marquez has fought Pacquiao in a trilogy, wherein he lost two while the other ended in a draw. All three fights were too close to call and were all controversial.

A fourth fight between Pacquiao and Marquez was seriously being considered as a possible option if the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather Jr. super fight wouldn’t push through.

After negotiations with Mayweather Jr. bogged down, Pacquiao immediately picked Bradley over the other possible opponents left on the list, Marquez and Lamont Peterson.