Boxing News: Bradley fight won't be Pacquiao's last, says Freddie Roach

Freddie Roach is not convinced Manny Pacquiao will walk away from boxing after the Filipino fights Timothy Bradley on Apr. 9 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Arena.

Roach told Marcos Villegas of Fight Hub that he does not think Pacquiao will end his career with a third fight against Bradley. The Hall of Fame trainer said Pacquiao was not yet close to retiring, considering the Filipino boxing icon’s work ethic and intensity in training.

“I don’t think this will be his last fight,” Roach said. “I think he will fight in the future because I just don’t feel he’s all done.”

However, the Filipino boxer himself has said he is happy to hang up his boxing gloves as he looks forward to focusing on his political career in the Philippines, where he plans to run for a senatorial seat in May. Pacquiao, who has always been fond of helping the needy, insists the time to give up boxing in exchange of serving his countrymen full-time has now come.

"I started out in boxing because I wanted to help my family, my mother,” Pacquiao said, reports Channel News Asia. “Now I'm ending my boxing career because I want to help my countrymen, the Filipino people. I'm ending because I want to serve the people."

In 2012, Pacquiao lost his first bout against Bradley in a controversial split-decision, then bounced back to defeat the former multiple division champion by unanimous decision two years later. But the third chapter of their rivalry could present a different result, with Pacquiao coming off a shoulder injury while Bradley renews his boxing career in the hands of new trainer Teddy Atlas.

According to Ryan Songalia of the Ring TV, Pacquiao admitted that it was Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum who chose Bradley as his next opponent. Nevertheless, Pacman is ready to face Bradley, who has “improved a lot” after bringing in Teddy Atlas to his corner.

Meanwhile, the undercard for Pacquiao-Bradley III will be an All-Hispanic fights, which according to Arum, is a statement against United States presidential candidate Donald Trump, who called for a wall to be built on the US-Mexico border and the deportation of an estimated 11 million people living illegally in the country.

"I want them to know there are a lot of people that have their back and are not going to allow them to be deported," Arum told ESPN. "And if Trump got elected, I would be in the streets with them protesting."