Next year may be the last year the Filipino boxing superstar Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao may appear inside the boxing ring.

Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, who serves as "Pacman's" promoter, stated that the first and only eight-division champion is ready to say goodbye to boxing as he pursues higher office positions in the Philippine government, TMZ reported.

"He's gonna fight again next year but his goal is to become a senator in the Philippines, which he will be next year, and then to be president. I think Manny will retire once he's elected to the Senate of the Philippines which is next year ... he's gonna hang up the gloves," Arum said.

Earlier, the boxer told The Philippine Star that his mind is halfway into running for a Senate seat.

"Frankly from scale 1 to 100, it's still 50-50 in my chances to run for senator in 2016 although I must admit I have plans... but it will all depend on the plans and wishes of our creator for me," Pacquiao said.

Now, it seems he is more inclined into treading that path, although there's still no official announcement yet coming from this year's second highest paid boxer in the world about his Senate candidacy nor becoming the Philippine President in the future, the Minda News reported.

"I have not yet made a final decision. But a lot of people have advised me that this is my chance to run for the Senate, and they have a point," Pacquiao said.

"I'm not officially announcing tonight that I'm running for senator but I will likely go that way," Pacquiao added in his recent interview with the news outlet.

There may be a great probability that Pacquiao could get elected as a senator as he is not new to politics and had successfully been elected as Sarangani's lone district representative in Congress twice.

However, there's still a huge chance that the 36-year-old boxing icon, who lost against the undefeated Floyd Mayweather, Jr. on May 2 at the MGM Grand Arena will return next year. The "People's Champ," who sustained a shoulder injury while training for the Mayweather-Pacquiao bout, per CNN, declared his willingness and readiness to fight in 2016.

Citing Indonesian website Viva.co.id, Boxing Scene quoted Pacquiao as saying, "I'm ready to fight, next year."

Freddie Roach also hinted that Pacquiao could still go on for a couple of fights, via thaboxingvoice.

Who could be his potential foe or foes next year as he bids farewell to a stellar career?

Related