• Manny Pacquiao v Brandon Rios

Pacquiao: 'I've got three years left'

ESPN staff
August 3, 2013
Manny Pacquiao is eagerly anticipating his upcoming bout with American Brandon Rios as he looks to bounce back from successive defeats

Manny Pacquiao insists he is relishing the prospect of stepping back into the ring against Brandon Rios in November, and has revealed he plans to continue boxing for up to three more years.

There had been suggestions that Pacquiao, 34, may hang up his gloves after two successive defeats, the last a sixth-round knockout at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez in December.

But the Filipino is gearing up for a bout with American Rios in Macau on November 24, and is keen to re-establish his reputation as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

Pacquiao, who holds a 54-5-2 record with 38 knockouts, says he has been training every day since the Marquez defeat.

In Singapore on the latest promotional tour for the bout, Pacquiao said: "[It is a] great opportunity for me to give a good show for the people, to get back my name into the top of boxing.

"Brandon RĂ­os is a good boxer, a tough opponent and I believe we can give a good fight. Especially his style and my style it is very good to fight each other, we can create a lot of action in the ring.

"I'm not really sure (how many fights left). As long as I can still fight, I can fight. In my mind right now, maybe I can still fight maybe two to three years from now.

"I tell you frankly, honestly in myself I can still fight and I feel strong. If there is something wrong in my body or something wrong in my boxing skill I have to think about that and think about retirement.

"But since I lost the last fight, I still feel strong and I can still fight."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
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