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After back-to-back losses to Juan Manuel Marquez and Timothy Bradley, Manny Pacquiao is finally gearing up to get back into the ring in November, in a bout against Brandon Rios. But, will it be his last?
According to his trainer Freddie Roach, if he loses, he will retire.
When Roach and Pacquiao grew closer over the years, the boxer promised Roach that he'd walk away from the sport when his trainer told him it was time. In a recent interview, Freddie said he would would recommend retirement if his fighter were knocked out by Rios in their upcoming, pay-per-view bout.
"It's over, 100 percent [if Pacquiao is knocked out by Rios]," Roach said. "We have a deal. When I tell him it's over, he'll say it's over and that's it. He's pretty loyal with his words and if that happens, it will be the end."
Despite that promise, Roach says the Filipino boxing star isn't showing the signs of decline that would lead him to making that call just yet.
When Pac-Man steps into the ring on November 24th in Macau, China, he will just weeks shy of his 35th birthday, an age that fighters usually been to slip.
"None whatsoever, and I'd tell you if I did," Roach said of any signs of decline in Pacquiao. "The thing is, people look at the losses and they think the reason is that he's getting old. That's not the case, not from what I see. Look, we all thought he beat Bradley, so throw that out. And in the Marquez fight, I thought he was doing well and was looking like he was going to win by knockout when he made a mistake and ran into a shot.
"That happens. That's boxing. It didn't happen because his skills aren't the same as they used to be. It happened because he made a mistake. It doesn't matter what age you are, you can make a mistake."
While talk of a dream fighter between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather has faded, Roach says it is still a possibility.
"I've told Manny, 'Knock this guy [Rios] out in good fashion and the Mayweather fight comes back real quick," the trainer explained. "Manny still wants the fight. We know that Mayweather turned it down, but the truth is this: Mayweather has four fights left after this next one [on Sept. 14 against Canelo Alvarez] and I'm not sure there are four guys in the world left for him to fight without Manny Pacquiao being one of them."
According to his trainer Freddie Roach, if he loses, he will retire.
When Roach and Pacquiao grew closer over the years, the boxer promised Roach that he'd walk away from the sport when his trainer told him it was time. In a recent interview, Freddie said he would would recommend retirement if his fighter were knocked out by Rios in their upcoming, pay-per-view bout.
"It's over, 100 percent [if Pacquiao is knocked out by Rios]," Roach said. "We have a deal. When I tell him it's over, he'll say it's over and that's it. He's pretty loyal with his words and if that happens, it will be the end."
Despite that promise, Roach says the Filipino boxing star isn't showing the signs of decline that would lead him to making that call just yet.
When Pac-Man steps into the ring on November 24th in Macau, China, he will just weeks shy of his 35th birthday, an age that fighters usually been to slip.
"None whatsoever, and I'd tell you if I did," Roach said of any signs of decline in Pacquiao. "The thing is, people look at the losses and they think the reason is that he's getting old. That's not the case, not from what I see. Look, we all thought he beat Bradley, so throw that out. And in the Marquez fight, I thought he was doing well and was looking like he was going to win by knockout when he made a mistake and ran into a shot.
"That happens. That's boxing. It didn't happen because his skills aren't the same as they used to be. It happened because he made a mistake. It doesn't matter what age you are, you can make a mistake."
While talk of a dream fighter between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather has faded, Roach says it is still a possibility.
"I've told Manny, 'Knock this guy [Rios] out in good fashion and the Mayweather fight comes back real quick," the trainer explained. "Manny still wants the fight. We know that Mayweather turned it down, but the truth is this: Mayweather has four fights left after this next one [on Sept. 14 against Canelo Alvarez] and I'm not sure there are four guys in the world left for him to fight without Manny Pacquiao being one of them."