Boxing: Pacquiao to hang up gloves after April 9 bout, says promoter Arum

Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao waving to supporters after filing his Certificate of Candidacy for Senator at the Commission on Elections in Manila, Philippines on Oct 16, 2015. PHOTO: REUTERS

LOS ANGELES - Philippine boxing legend Manny Pacquiao plans to end his ring career with a fight on April 9 before moving on to focus on his political career, promoter Bob Arum has told ESPN.com.

Arum said he had discussed plans for a final fight with Pacquiao last week in New York - where Pacquiao received the Asia Game Changer award presented by the Asia Society at the United Nations.

"I'm telling you what he told me last week at dinner in New York," Arum told the website. "We talked very seriously and he said, 'Bob, hopefully, by the middle of May I will have been elected senator in the Philippines and at that point I cannot engage in boxing because I need to focus on the senate and I have to be in attendance.'

"Manny told me this fight on April 9 will be his last fight."

That echoed comments Pacquiao himself made in the Philippines this month, when he announced he would run for a senate seat. He has been a congressman since 2010.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.