By Edward Chaykovsky
Eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao is feeling the butterflies in walking away from the sport, but the 37-year-old fighter says the time is right to retire.
Pacquiao will hold his final bout on April 9th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where he faces Timothy Bradley for a third time.
Bradley won a controversial twelve round split decision in their first contest in 2012, and Pacquiao won decisively in the 2014 rematch.
The boxer's veteran coach, Freddie Roach, has his doubts. He believes Pacquiao will continue to fight. Promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank is reluctant to promote the upcoming fight as Pacquiao's final appearance in the ring - in the event Pacquiao changes his mind and decides to fight again in the fall.
Pacquiao wants to pursue his political aspirations on a full-time basis. Currently a congressman in the Philippines, he is aiming to secure a senate seat in the upcoming elections and most local writers expect him to win.
Last September his arch-rival, Floyd Mayweather Jr., retired from boxing after holding his final bout, which easily won against Andre Berto, at the same Las Vegas venue.
Pacquiao's career wish was to fight Mayweather. He accomplished that goal last May, but fell short on the scorecards with Mayweather winning a dominant decision.
"I'm so happy to be hanging up my gloves after this fight," Pacquiao said. "I'm sure I will feel sad but that's life. You can't keep on fighting all the time. But it's time I think. I started out in boxing because I wanted to help my family, my mother. Now I'm ending my boxing career because I want to help my countrymen, the Filipino people. I'm ending because I want to serve the people."