The glory that the Philippine boxing hero Manny Pacquiao has attained in boxing is, in many ways, unmatched and probably won’t be replicated.  He has dominated boxing in the past decade, moving up weight classes to beat and dominate some of best talents in the sport.

In his rise to stardom, Manny was also able to bring an archipelago into the global spotlight and prove that the biggest of dreams can be achieved with ambition, hard work, and dedication.  For a long time, he seemed unbeatable and his name became a household one for anyone with a basic knowledge of boxing.  His illustrious career ultimately landed him a spot as a senator in the Philippine republic.

But Pacquiao should know when to quit, and that is now.  Lately, it seems that he has just been taking fights for the money, and losing, too, at the hands of obscure fighters.  It doesn’t matter to many as well that some losses are seeming robberies cooked up by judges.  Some boxing fans even think it serves him right.  And many of his countrymen believe that taking on these lame fights only shows that he is not focused on his job as a lawmaker.  

If Pacquiao wants to retain the respect he literally fought hard for, he should retire after this year’s upcoming welterweight fight with Lucas Matthysse, whether he wins or not.  He has already proven himself in the sport in countless ways.  It’s time he shows up in the senate floor more and not in the boxing ring.