Manny Pacquiao Plans to Run for Philippine Senate Post in 2016

Boxing star Manny Pacquiao has always been interested in endeavors outside the ring, and he announced plans to continue his political career Monday.

According to Agence France-Presse (via Yahoo), Pacquiao said he plans to run for a post in the Philippine Senate as a candidate for the 24-seat upper chamber in May 2016. While Pac-Man said he has not determined which party he will run for, the report noted President Benigno Aquino’s Liberal Party has been courting him, and the boxer is also “close to the leaders of rival parties.”

Pacquiao was elected as congressman of a district in the southern Philippines in 2010, although he has reportedly been criticized for a large number of absences while he trained for fights and participated as a playing coach in the country’s competitive basketball league.

The fact that senators are elected nationally rather than by district voters represents a larger challenge for Pac-Man, per the AFP report, as he looks to take the next step in his political career.

In the ring, Pacquiao boasts a 57-6-2 record and is largely considered to be one of the best boxers of his generation.

He lost his high-profile showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in May, although speculation about a potential rematch arose almost immediately after the fight because of Pac-Man’s shoulder injury and the opportunity for Money to come out of retirement and surpass Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record with a 50th consecutive win.

Pacquiao’s plan to run for a spot in the Philippine Senate may put a time constraint on when that fight could occur.