The last time we saw Manny Pacquiao in the ring, he was slumped over and dazed as a triumphant Juan Manuel Marquez raised his fists to a raucous crowd. Pleas of retirement from his wife, a summer of elections and a wonderful pregnancy announcement later, Pacquiao is back to prove that his latest bout wasn't his last.
On Saturday, from Macau, China, the boxing superstar will traipse back into the ring for the first time since his sixth-round knockout at the hands of longtime rival Marquez back in December.
Shortly after that fight, Jinkee Pacquiao spoke with USA Today and described the feelings of a wife who had to experience the sight of her husband hitting the canvas with a thud, fearing the absolute worst.
It's the first time I've seen him like that, lying on the canvas, and I was scared.
I know he is still (capable) of fighting, but for me there is nothing to prove. He already has eight (title) belts. He can retire — stop — at any time. I want him to stop now. But he is the one who has the last say. Boxers risk their lives; (some) end up in wheelchairs. I don't want that to happen to Manny.
On the heels of his return to the sport, Jinkee has hardly changed her tune, but she may have softened her stance somewhat.
The Ring transcribed her thoughts in the first episode of HBO's 24/7: Pacquiao/Rios: "Of all of Manny's fights, that was the first time that I saw him knocked down."
She then continued with her hopes that her husband calls it a career sooner rather than later, "In the few seconds that he didn't get up, I am worried and afraid ... After the fight, I did ask him to retire. But Manny still wanted to fight. So whatever it is, we will support his decision."
Pacquiao, for his part, is excited to get back in the ring. The Miami Herald's Santos A. Perez quotes an enthusiastic 34-year-old boxer.
"The year off has been good and I am very excited to get back in the ring and fight and to do it for the fans. I feel very fresh, strong and fast."
He continued with his sentiments on his previous loss, "That’s boxing — sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. I am not going to complain or worry about what happened. I forgot already what happened."
But his time away from boxing has hardly been a respite, because he and his wife were busy with the business of politics as well as growing their already large family.
ABS-CBN News reported back in May that Jinkee had taken the vice governor election for the Philippines' Sarangani province with a remarkably large portion of the vote. As expected, Pacquiao also retained his seat in congress.
The good news continued for the Pacquiaos in October, when Jinkee confirmed to ABS-CBN News that she is indeed pregnant with the couple's fifth child.
What happens next will go a long way to determine whether Pacquiao trims his crowded calendar of all his boxing duties.
ESPN reported on November 13 that trainer Freddie Roach proclaimed if the Rios bout, "does not go well, we will seriously talk about his retirement."
Roach continued with what he contends is a gentleman's agreement between boxer and trainer:
It's really hard to say until we see the fight, but I will be the first one to tell him to retire. We have an agreement that as soon as I tell him that, he will retire.
That's a discussion that Pacquiao's wife would no doubt embrace, but one the boxer is undoubtedly hopeful to sidestep this weekend in China.
As the boxer does inch closer toward retirement, whenever that might be, we are reminded to savor every last second of what has been a brilliant career.
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