Top Rank chief executive Bob Arum is delighted for Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, who is virtually assured of a seat in the Philippine senate following Monday’s national elections.
As of 11:32 a.m. on May 11, Pacquiao rose to seventh in the senatorial race, garnering 15,498,509 votes.
“It is his biggest win,” Arum told Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review Journal. “It’s one thing to run for a seat in Congress, where you just have to win your district.”
“It’s another thing to win a national election,” he added. “We’re thrilled for Manny. This is something he has taken very seriously, and he has put a lot of effort into his campaign.”
Pacquiao served two terms as a congressman, but has often come under fire for his poor attendance record in the House of Representatives. Even as he was campaigning for a seat in the Senate, he was also training for his farewell fight against Timothy Bradley Jr., which he won via unanimous decision in early April.
Arum believes that Pacquiao’s victory in the senatorial race has all but put a definitive end to his glittering boxing career.
“The job of senator is so demanding. I don’t expect to see Manny in the ring ever again,” he said.
He left the door only slightly open, saying: “It remains to be seen. With Manny, anything is possible.”
In an interview with ESPN, Arum said he doubts Pacquiao will make a comeback even if it is for a rematch against Floyd Mayweather Jr., who defeated him via unanimous decision when they faced off in May 2015.
“My mindset is that it’s over,” Arum said. “When it’s over, it’s over.”
“People say fighters always change their minds, but this is a different situation,” he added. “If a guy like Sugar Ray Leonard retires, and two months later decides to come back because he’s bored, he can do that.” (ABS-CBN News)