Boxer Manny Pacquiao says that he’s not coming out of retirement despite reports that he’ll return to the boxing ring this fall.
According to ESPN, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said that Pacquiao plans to fight on Oct. 29 or Nov. 5 in the main event of an HBO pay-per-view event in Las Vegas. There is no set opponent for the fight. Arum is working on finding a venue for the fight.
"Manny wants to come back. The problem is he can only come back if it doesn't interfere with his senate duties," Arum said. "We had penciled him in for Oct. 15 at Mandalay Bay, but we were informed that is no longer possible because he has to spend that week leading up to Oct. 15 formulating the budget in the senate and doing the votes."
Pacquiao’s advisor Michael Koncz told ESPN that Pacquiao misses boxing and wants to fight again before the end of the year but his primary concern and obligations are to fulfill his senatorial duties.
Now, Pacquiao himself finally spoke out and said in a Facebook post that he’s not returning to the ring this year.
“There is no truth to media reports that I’m planning to take a leave from my senate duties just to fight again atop the ring," he wrote. "I want to make it clear – my priority is my legislative works. My next fight has not yet been discussed. should there be any, I’ll make sure it will not interfere with my senate duties."
Pacquiao retired from boxing in April after winning a fight against Timothy Bradley Jr. He had a 58-6-2 record along with 38 Kos. He is boxing’s only eight-division titleholder.
Pacquiao has been serving as a senator in his native Philippines. It will be interesting to see if he does actually return to boxing world at some point.