Pacquiao has no plans to retire

CEBU, Philippines - In a dream, God told him to retire.

It seems he won't heed that Divine calling, for now.Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao yesterday said he doesn't have any plans to retire as of the moment, indicating that he is still entertaining more fights, including the much-awaited superbout with American Floyd Mayweather.

"Hindi ko pa pinag-isipan yan sa ngayon. Kaya ko pa na mang lumaban (I still do not think about it (retirement) now. I can still fight) ," said Pacquiao in an exclusive interview with The FREEMAN at NS Outdoor Firing Range in Tawason, Mandaue City where he had a great time target shooting for nearly two hours.

Talks of his retirement reverberated throughout the boxing world after Pacquiao told radio station DZMM in an interview also broadcast over the channel's Teleradyo TV show that he had been told by God in a dream to retire soon as he "has done enough."

If she is to decide, Pacquiao's wife Jinkee said she wanted Pacquiao to hang up his gloves after his match with American Tim Bradley in Las Vegas.

"Pero seguro pagbibigyan ko siya kahit isa na lang na laban kasi gusto talaga niya na makaharap si Mayweather (But maybe I will allow him to fight one more time as he really wanted to fight Mayweather," Jinkee said.

Pacquiao has already expressed his willingness to take on Mayweather but negotiations for what is considered the richest match in boxing history fizzled out because Mayweather demands too much, including an outrageous $100 million purse for the mega-fight to push through.

"Pacquiao wants to fight Mayweather, there's no question about that. In fact, he is already amenable to the drug test and is willing to face Mayweather even if he gets a lower sum. The problem with Mayweather is that he demands too much. That should not be the case because Pacquiao is also a top draw," said Cebuano promoter and Pacquiao's confidant Rex "Wakee" Salud.

Pacquiao is in town to tape at least two episodes of "Manny, Many Prizes," his weekly game show aired over GMA-7 every Saturday. He will start training for the Bradley fight next week in Baguio City.

Pacquiao will be in the country's summer capital for at least three weeks. He will then leave for the United States to wrap up his rigid preparations at the Wild Card Gym of his celebrated American trainer Freddie Roach in Hollywood, California.

Pacquiao is scheduled to defend his WBO welterweight title against the undefeated Bradley on the June 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Since his new-found religious fervor, Pacquiao has completely changed for the better, a far cry from the image of a heavy gambler who is fond of late-night parties he was before.

"He's now a changed man. Hindi na siya nagsusugal, lalo nang hindi umiinom kahit na nga red wine. Palagi siyang nagbabasa ng Bibliya at malaki na ang panahon na ibinubuhos niya sa aming pamilya (He no longer gambles and drinks, even red wine. He always reads the Bible and has more time with the family)," said Jinkee. (THE FREEMAN)