Manny Pacquiao: Why Bradley Fight Will Be Pacquiao's Last

Win or lose, Timothy Bradley will be Manny Pacquiao's last opponent. 

Last boxing opponent, at least. 

Pacquiao, 33, is getting up there in age and he's failed to knock out each of his last four opponents, but it's clear when you watch him train that he still has plenty left in the tank.

Nonetheless, here's a look at why June 9 will be Pac-Man's last hurrah in a boxing ring. 

Religion

Manny Pacquiao is extremely religious, and according to Pac-Man himself, the reasons he may leave the ring early could purely be from a religious standpoint (via cnn.com):

"

Pacquiao said in a radio interview on Monday he had a dream in which God had told him to hang up his gloves, fueling speculation he may back out of a long-anticipated fight with American Floyd Mayweather.

"I will not stay long in boxing because He said: 'You have done enough. You have made yourself famous but this is harmful'," he told Manila's DZMM radio.

"

Of course, Pac-Man's camp has also stated he is far off from retirement (same report), but just the fact the idea is in Pacquiao's head is a sign he's close to making a decision.

Politics

Pacquiao is currently a member of the Philippine House of Representatives and he has elections coming up again in 2013. 

The well-known boxer has the unique ability to use his sport to improve his popularity and thus make a positive impact on his country, and he knows it. He's become more involved in politics as time goes on, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him make the full-time jump very soon.

Politics are Pacquiao's future, and the more time he invests, the better. 

Lack of opponent

After Bradley, where does Pacquiao go to for a fight?

Floyd Mayweather is the obvious conclusion everyone comes to, but it's becoming painfully clear that fight is nothing more than a pipe dream. 

There are other young up-and-coming fighters, such as Saul Alvarez, but Pacquaio doesn't really have anything to prove against those men. 

The only person Pac-Man can possibly increase his already-high status against is Mayweather, but again, that's unlikely to happen.

And if that fight never materializes, then Pacquiao has no where else to go.

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