Manny Pacquiao Reportedly Set to Retire in 2016, Hints at Senate Run

Manny Pacquiao has hinted he may call an end to his glittering boxing career in 2016, as he has plans to run for the Senate in his homeland of the Philippines in that year's elections.

The 35-year-old—who has won world titles in an unprecedented eight different weight divisions—revealed his plans in an interview with Filipino radio station DZMM, via Joe Ridge in the Daily Mail: "There's a big possibility that I will run for Senator. UNA (United Nationalist Alliance party) asked me to join its slate and I am grateful they picked me."

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Already heavily involved in Filipino politics as a congressman from Sarangani province, it seems that Pacquaio is now set to hang up his gloves to seek an even higher office.

Pacquiao suffered consecutive defeats in 2012, first in controversial fashion to Timothy Bradley and later to Juan Manuel Marquez. He returned to form with a victory over Brandon Rios and then won a rematch with Bradley in 2014 for the WBO welterweight championship.

He is now set to face the USA's Chris Algieri in Macau, China, on Nov. 22 in what many are labelling an underwhelming matchup for one of boxing's true stars, per Sports Desk anchor Cesca Litton:

While Algieri is a fine fighter and is undefeated in 20 professional fights (eight by knockout), he is not the class of fighter people want to see Pacquiao fight, especially now with his career coming to a close.

The dream for boxing fans is to see Pac-Man take on his generation's other defining fighter, Floyd Mayweather Jr. (46-0, 26 KO).

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The two behemoths of the boxing world have never fought each other, and there will be many who now see the bout as inevitably doomed considering the problems befallen by previous plans.

However, former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis seemingly has the ultimate way for both fighters to bow out:

It may simply be a pipe dream, but what now seems in no doubt is that Pacquaio is not long for the boxing ring and has only a handful of fights left.

He has won 56 of his 63 professional fights (38 by KO); it now simply remains to be seen how many more victories he can claim before entering a life of politics.