Manny Pacquiao’s ring showing could enhance his Senate bid

Manny Pacquiao hosted what might be his final media day at Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood on Wednesday, saying he expects his April 9 fight against Timothy Bradley to be his final time in the ring but won’t know for certain until the bout is over.

Eight-division world champion Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 knockouts) called his third meeting with Bradley, an HBO pay-per-view fight at MGM Grand, “one of the most important fights in my life.”

The top reason, Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach explained, is because it’s highly likely an impressive victory over the former two-division world champion from the Coachella Valley will clinch Pacquiao’s bid to win election to the Philippines’ Senate.

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“There’s no need to tell you that’s what I want,” Pacquiao said. “My focus after this is to get back to the Philippines and serve the people. … [Victory] will help a lot.”

Winning would also leave Pacquiao positioned to pursue another high-profile bout, possibly against someone like middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez of Mexico, current light-welterweight champion Terence Crawford or perhaps a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr., who retired one fight after generating the most lucrative event in boxing history with Pacquiao in May.

“I cannot say yes or no,” Pacquiao said. “I don’t want to say something we don’t know yet because I’m not there yet. I don’t know the feeling yet of what it’s like to be retired.”

Pacquiao was asked if it’d be possible to manage the more hectic work assignments in the Senate while also training for a fight by training entirely in the Philippines.

“I don’t know, it’s hard to say,” Pacquiao said.

Promoter Bob Arum joked he’d seek to move the Senate to the U.S. to meet upstairs in Wild Card while Pacquiao trains downstairs.

Roach said that while it took Pacquiao, 37, much longer than usual to reach peak shape in training camp, the trainer assessed that Pacquiao has “at least two more fights in him after this.”

“When you get old, your mind and body is there, but you need more time to recover … not like when you were younger and after one night you can recover all the energy you spend in training,” Pacquiao said. “The willingness to still train is there. With enough rest, I make sure the body can recover. I’ve always taken care of my body. … I can still prove I’m not old.”

Pacquiao hasn’t scored a knockout since 2009 and hasn’t knocked down Bradley in either of their bouts. He said if the opportunity presents itself, he’ll pursue the type of finish that defined his reputation in what might be his finale.

“What is in my heart and mind right now is to win convincingly, and if I have the chance to finish him, why not?” he said.

Pacquiao was somewhat reflective, discussing with fondness his then bold decision to move from 135 pounds to 147 to retire Oscar De La Hoya in 2008, and also saying he was most proud of the record eight world titles.

“Who else did that? I’m proud of that. … When I think of my accomplishments in boxing, I cannot believe I accomplished that,” Pacquiao said. “I hope I’m remembered as a good person in the ring and out of the ring.”

The latter cause was marred by his anti-gay comments made in the Philippines last month, and Pacquiao on Wednesday said, “I’m just telling the truth … who am I to condemn or discriminate against other people? I’m also a human. I’m also a sinner. … I’m condemning the act.”

Although operators of the Grove shopping area have banned Pacquiao for his comments, he said, “I went to the Grove and watched a movie.”

Someone asked him, “Will we ever see another fighter like you?”

Pacquiao answered, “That’s a good question.”

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