"The old Manny Pacquiao is already dead and the new one has come," stated 8-division world champion Manny Pacquiao, who is seriously contemplating retirement following his June 9th clash with undefeated WBO jr. welterweight champion Timothy Bradley. The idea may be difficult to believe, but Pacquiao has made significant changes in his life that may legitimately prompt him to hang up his boxing gloves for good. Since the beginning of the year, Pacquiao has taken a number of steps indicative of a man who's about to make a serious change in his life. He recently sold a casino that he owned and gave up his gamefowls that he often bet on. He also shut down a bar that he owned, despite the fact that he was known to be a regular fixture there. Pacquiao has now substituted those activities with frequent Bible study, so much so that he accepted a position as a Bible ambassador for the Catholic church after receiving an offer from the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines. It's a decision that only solidifies the fact Pacquiao's days of fighting could very well be coming to an end after June 9th.
"I only read the Bible or study the word of God and playing basketball for fun now. These are my hobbies after my work as congressman. I also included my wife, Jinkee, and our son, relatives and friends in Bible studies," Pacquiao explained during an interview with Rose Tamayo-Tesoro and John Nunez. "Now, my life is Jesus Christ. The Bible studies I am doing are not about religion...This is about my relationship to God." According to his wife, Jinkee, it's a transformation that happened overnight, and the fact that he's spending much more time with his family is a welcome sign considering just how busy Pacquiao's life has always been. "I am very happy with the recent turn of events in our lives. Manny has become more family-oriented. I am not saying that he was not before, but this time, you can really feel and observe a great transformation in him. He spends more time with us, with his family, and his constituents. If he has no commitment somewhere else, he goes straight back to his district. His transformation was amazingly overnight. Would you believe that? Only by God's grace," Jinkee added.
It's no secrect that both Manny's wife and his mother have been very vocal over the years about their desire for him to retire from the sport. Considering that he typically fights twice a year, he's normally away at training camp for at least 8 weeks per fight, sometimes more, as he focuses on preparations for his opponent. 16 weeks out of the year is a long time for any fighter to be away from his family, particularly if that fighter is also a congressman, actor, singer, and global icon. Given his newfound devotion to Bible studies and the recent changes he's made in his life, it's clear that Pacquiao is indeed making a serious effort to be a better man, but exactly what does that mean for his boxing career and how will it affect him inside the ring for his next fight? Time will tell. Will June 9th truly be the last time that Pacquiao laces up his gloves? If those closest to him get their wish, it likely will be. The old Manny Pacquiao may already be dead in life, but let's hope that he can give us at least one more performance inside the ring reminiscent of the old Manny Pacquiao.