Is Manny Pacquiao Really Retiring After Timothy Bradley Fight?

Manny Pacquiao has been known to change his mind at times and the latest episode on his knack for doing so has something to do with his future plans after April 9.

The eight-time division champion is set to face Timothy Bradley Jr. for the third time at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, a choice which many are not too thrilled to see. And try as he and Bob Arum to justify the claim, the boxing fans are simply not biting in completely.

Regardless, the next question in the air is whether he will actually retire or not. When word got out that Pacquiao and Arum agreed not to market the upcoming April 9 tiff as the Filipino boxer’s last one, such left an understanding that Pacquiao is going back on his word of retiring to focus on his political career.

Recently, however, Pacquiao shot down those plans and claims he never said anything about foregoing retirement and that he was indeed hanging it all up after his third showdown with “Desert Storm”.

"I never said that nobody spoke to me about that. After my fight on April 9th, I'm going to retire from boxing," says Pacquiao via Philboxing.com. “My April 9 fight against Timothy Bradley will be my last. I’m retiring from boxing to focus on my new job."

Does this mean he is shunning a possible Floyd Mayweather, Jr. rematch? In that article where he was reported as not retiring, such was the obvious topic on why he would hold off retirement.

"I have been very vocal about it (fighting Mayweather) even before the Bradley fight was made official on New Year's eve," Pacquiao said in that previous report. "The reason is simple, I want to end my 21-year boxing career with a big bang so to speak."

Though Pacquiao stands pat on his plans of retiring, his camp is not too sold on it. Arum believes that such is the case and will not market the fight as the Filipino’s last joust.

Trainer Freddie Roach is also expressing doubts as well on whether Pacquiao would be calling it a career as well.

"I don't think this will be the last fight, no," says Roach in a separate article via boxingscene.com.

Of course, there is a chance that Pacquiao is making such claims to make sure he gains the confidence of his constituents for the coming national elections which will be held in May.

If Pacquiao goes back on his word (about retiring yet again), he could be in for some rough sailing if he does end up making it into the magic 12 of the Philippine senatorial race.