Manny Pacquiao's fight against Timothy Bradley is set for Saturday night, and while it may not be the highest-profile fight of his illustrious career, this could be the biggest. Why? Because rumor has it Pacman may hang up the gloves if he takes his third loss in four fights.
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Trainer Freddie Roach said that his top fighter might need to consider retirement if he's unable to avenge the questionable loss he suffered to Bradley in 2012.
"This is a 'must-win' situation on Saturday night, and if we don't win this fight we have to consider maybe retirement," Roach toldTelegraph Sport. "So this is a big, big fight for him. We are in a 'must-win' situation, it's as simple as that. Some people think we are all done and we have to prove that we are not."
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Pacquiao begs to differ, which isn't surprising. He told reporters retirement is "not for me," and said that his "journey will continue." Bradley's trainer Joel Diaz has openly stated their goal is to retire the living legend. "That's what we're here for."
Whether he will or he won't Pacquiao's either going to shoot up the boxing pound-for-pound rankings or plummet depending on Saturday night's outcome. "It can't be a real close fight I feel for him to stay at that Top-10 level," Roach said. His adviser Michael Koncz made an even stronger assessment.
"I do believe that we do have to have a spectacular win here," Koncz said. "Not necessarily a knockout but a shutout in order to prove to the people that he is at the top."
Retirement rumors abounded prior to his last fight in China with Brandon Rios, which Pacquiao won handily, but clearly not enough to quell the quitting talk.
"He said I would have to retire after the fight," Pacquiao said of Rios. "But you have to prove it in the ring."
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