By John F. McKenna (McJack): Filipino boxing sensation World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KO’s) according to those close to him has undergone a life changing experience which may prompt him to retire sooner rather than later.

Manny will be taking on WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley (28-0-1 NC, 12 KO’s) on June 9 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. There have been some hints that the “Pacman’s” fight with Bradley may be his last.

In line with Manny’s spiritual turn around Manny has recently given up late not partying and gambling and the alleged womanizing he was previously involved in. In addition Pacquiao has gotten rid of the cock fighting roosters he formerly owned. The cockfighting was beginning to be controversial and was indeed detrimental to Manny’s image. Further along the lines of improving Pacquiao’s image he has agreed to be an ambassador for the Catholic Church.

Pacquiao was quoted by Fight Saga saying:

“It’s not right that I share God’s word and at the same time hurt other people. I’ve gained more than enough blessings these past years, so I think it’s time for me to return the favor.

To the chagrin of Manny’s most ardent and loyal supporters of his ring exploits, it is indeed possible that on June 9, we may be seeing the last of Pacquioa as a fighter. It is no secret that Manny has future political aspirations. Manny has already expressed on numerous occasions that he never wants to forget the poverty on the streets where he grew up in the Philippines. Manny has also demonstrated that he wants to help the people of his impoverished homeland. Pacquiao correctly reasons that the best way for him to make real change is through political power, and that he cannot achieve increased political power without devoting all his time to politics.

It is also evident that Manny is under ever increasing pressure from his family to retire. His mother Dionesia Pacquiao has attended two of her son’s fights and both times suffered what appeared to be panic attacks.

The hoped for fight that Pacquiao wanted with undefeated WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr (42-0, 26 KO’s) now appears to be just a remote pipedream. “Money” pretty much priced himself out of the ballpark when he rejected a $50 million offer from the Pacquiao camp in addition to a 55/45 split with the higher percentage going to the winner. After rejecting the Pacquiao camps offer Floyd instead chose to fight WBA light middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (37-2, 30 KO’s), a fighter who was severely trounced by both Antonio Margarito in August 2008 and Manny Pacquiao in November 2009. Cotto did avenge his loss to Margarito in December, but in that fight it was easy for Cotto to exploit the surgically repaired orbital bone in Antonio’s right eye. The orbital bone in Margrito’s eye was broken in his one sided loss to Pacquiao in November 2010.

With Mayweather more prone to Tweet Pacquiao rather than engage in serious negotiations it is unlikely that he will ever face Manny in the ring. Floyd can however bring in large sums of cash by facing boxers like Cotto who really do not belong in the same ring with him. Against Cotto, Mayweather with his pinpoint accuracy will succeed in turning Miguel’s face into a bloody mess after five or six rounds.