Manny Pacquiao retires: Filipino confirms fight against Timothy Bradley will be his last

Pacquiao to face Bradley for the third time

(Getty Images)

Boxing great Manny Pacquiao has said that his fight against Timothy Bradley on 9 April will be the final of his illustrious career.

The 37-year-old, six-weight world champion has decided to hang up the gloves in a bid to help people in his native Philipines.

Pacquiao is a universally loved figure in his country and is already a congress man - he is hoping to secure a seat in the senate at the next elections.

"I will feel sad hanging up my gloves. But you can't go on forever in the ring," said Pacquiao, who has not fought since the richest boxing match in history against Floyd Mayweather last May.

"I started boxing all those years ago to help my family, my mother. I want to end my boxing career now because my desire in my heart is to help my people, my country.

"The greatest achievements in life are not what we do ourselves, but for other people. Life is short. It's important we love each other and show unity. It's a great opportunity to have this last fight."

Pacquiao will face Bradley, 32, for the third time having lost the first in 2012 and beaten him in the rematch in 2014.

Promoter Bob Arum does not believe this will be Pacquiao's final fight.

"I will not promote it as Manny's last fight," Arum said. "He says he's going to retire, and maybe he will. The truth is that you never know with any boxer, but I haven't known Manny to say things he doesn't mean.

"But we all realise this could be the last time he fights."

Pacquiao is guaranteed a $20million (£14m) pay packet from the fight against Bradley, although he a fight against Amir Khan had previously been mooted.

Arum said Khan was a "non-starter" and his team had an "inflated idea" of how much the Bolton fighter was worth.