Manny Pacquiao Gets Permission from His Mom Dionisia for One More Fight will it be Floyd Mayweather
Most boxing fans are familiar with the issues holding up a potential mega fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the title of the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter. The hold-ups have included disputes over testing for blood doping and banned performance enhancing substances along with disagreements on how the massive purse should be split. However, there was one apparent snag on Pacquiao’s side that needed to be resolved before a fight could occur: him getting permission to fight from his mother.
While the idea of Pacquiao - a feared and ferocious boxer - needed to get permission from his mother before taking on a fight might seem ludicrous, that’s exactly what happened. Pacquiao’s mother Dionisia has reportedly been very adamant that she would like to see her son retire early while he is still healthy and able to enjoy the riches and accolades that he has earned throughout his legendary career. In fact, recent news reports confirmed that Pacquiao felt obligated to ask for consent from his mom before continuing his boxing career after a short stay in the hospital for a mild ulcer.
According to Pacquiao, his mother gave him permission - for one more fight against Mayweather Jr. Whether a fight against Mayweather Jr. would actually be Pacquaio’s swan song to boxing remains to be seen; after all, more fighters have broken promises about retirement than have stuck to their guns throughout the history of the sport.
However, it does appear that Pacquiao might be serious about quitting the sport after fighting Mayweather Jr. He certainly does have a crowded plate full of activities outside of boxing already. He was recently elected to the General Assembly in the Philippines, and it has been rumored that he would someday like to run for President of the country (certainly he is popular enough). He has also dabbled in entertainment in the past, starring in several action films in the Philippines and releasing several albums of music that have sold well (even if they were critically panned).
In fact, it was Pacquiao’s busy schedule that eventually caught up with him and put him into the hospital last month. Media reports suggested that while he has struggled with ulcers and other stomach disorders for years, his problems were exacerbated by the strains of his hectic schedule leading up to his election. Not only was he campaigning non-stop, but he was also heavily involved in his other business interests along with filming several TV and print commercials to satisfy his endorsement contracts. The long hours and inability to rest and eat properly apparently caught up to him, leading to a brief stay in a Manila hospital to monitor his stomach problems.
If Pacquaio does retire after beating Mayweather Jr., it might have a chilling impact on the health of the sport. After all, Pacquiao would be the undisputed king of boxing with a victory, and if he were to immediately retire it would leave the sport bereft of its biggest star and with Mayweather Jr. having been damaged with a loss. There certainly would be tremendous pressure for Pacquiao to keep fighting and help to carry interest in boxing until a crop of young fighters could assume the mantle of box office draws from him.
However, it really is a decision that has to be made by Pacquiao. Only he knows his own body and when it is time to call it a career. Boxing history is littered with once great fighters who stuck around for too long and damaged not only their reputations but their bodies as well. If Pacquiao walks away after fighting Mayweather Jr., no one has the right to complain.
Tags: