BEVERLY HILLS, California – Naging emosyonal si Manny Pacquiao nang makaharap ang mediamen sa una sa dalawang press conference na itinakda para paingayin ang kanilang ikatlong paghaharap ni Timothy Bradley, Jr.
Tila nagpapaalam na si Pacquiao sa tono ng kanyang talumpati.
“Maybe this is our last time,” wika ni Pacquiao. “Maybe this is our last time to see each other. For the last time I want to thank you all. Without you I will not be here.”
Tatakbo si Pacquiao para sa isang Senatorial seat sa May 11 elections at sa ilang mga surveys ay sinasabing may tsansa siyang makakuha ng isa sa 12 puwesto sa Senado.
Kaya naman nagdesisyon na siyang magretiro sa boxing dahil kapag nanalo siya sa May elections ay hindi niya mapagsasabay ang pagiging senator at boxer.
Sinabi ni ‘Pacman’ na masaya siyang lilisanin ang boxing na naging buhay niya sa loob ng 20 taon.
“I’m so happy I’m hanging up my gloves after this fight. I’m sure I will feel sad after that but that’s life,” wika ng Filipino world eight-division champion. “Not all the time you keep on fighting and not all the time you’re in the ring.”
“And I remember when I started I wanted to help my family, my mother. Now I end my boxing career because I want to help my countrymen, the Filipino people,” dagdag pa nito.
Kagaya ng kanyang mga nakaraang speeches, ito din ay galing sa kanyang puso.
Hindi rin naiwasan ni Bob Arum, ang greatest boxing promoter, na maging emosyunal nang ipakilala niya si Pacquiao.
“There’s been talk that this may be Manny’s last fight. I can’t believe it. It could be or it may very well be. I can’t come to grips with the fact that this will be the last,” wika ni Arum.
“Maybe it will. Maybe it won’t. That’s up to Manny. But if truly this is the last time, Manny, it’s been a great ride and I want to thank you for everything,” dagdag pa ng promoter.
Sa Miyerkules ay bibiyahe sina Pacquiao at Bradley sa New York para sa ikalawa nilang press event sa Madison Square Garden.
Ngunit umaasa pa rin ang Top Rank Promotions chief na ipagpapatuloy ni Pacquiao ang kanyang boxing career.
Sinabi ni Arum na maaari pang maitakda ang rematch nina Pacquiao at Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
“That’s why I didn’t want to sell this fight as his last fight. I’m not sure. Maybe it will. He can fight Crawford. And who knows what Mayweather’s going to do,” wika ni Arum.
“It will be wrong for me to say anything because I haven’t talked to Floyd. So, I’m not saying that (retirement). When he (Pacquiao) returns, don’t blame me,” dagdag pa nito.