By Radio Rahim

Eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38KOs) is expected to have his final career fight on April 9th, when he faces Timothy Bradley (33-1-1, 13KOs) for a third time at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao plans to pursue a full-time career in politics back home in the Philippines. The fighting congressman has a very good chance to secure a senate seat in the upcoming elections.

Not everyone is sold on Pacquiao's promise to retire from the sport. The boxer's longtime trainer, Freddie Roach, believes Pacquiao will continue to fight.

The boxer's promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, is also a bit skeptical. He's taking the entire retirement vow with a 'grain of salt.' Arum refuses to promote the upcoming trilogy as a retirement fight, because in his 50 years of promoting thousands of boxers - he's been involved with a lot of fighters who retired and quickly unretired.

"If he wants to keep fighting, of course I'll promote it, but that decision is up to him," Arum told BoxingScene.com.

If Pacquiao decides to keep fighting, Arum believes a showdown with WBO 140-pound champion Terence Crawford would be the perfect fight for the fall.

Crawford (27-0, 19KOs) returns on February 27th in an HBO televised defense against Hank Lundy from The Theater in New York's Madison Square Garden. If Crawford wins, Arum wants to him to have one more fight before going into something big for fall - with or without Pacquiao.

"If he beats Lundy, we'll do one more with Crawford in June or July and then I want to a big fight for Crawford, a big pay-per-view fight. We'll look at what's available. If Manny beat Bradley and decides that he wants to keep fighting, then Crawford is the perfect opponent," Arum said.