We can stop reading between the lines. The mystery is over. No more speculation. No more what might have been. The past was then. The future is now, now that Manny Pacquiao has formally announced his run for the presidency of the Philippines.

 

“I am a fighter,” he said during his nomination speech, “and I will always be a fighter, inside and outside the ring.

 

“In the name of our fellow countrymen long asking for the right change in governance and true service to the Filipino people, I wholeheartedly, bravely, and humbly hope for your support.”

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Pacquiao has launched an anti-corruption in government campaign.

 

He has my vote. I’d vote twice if I could get away with it. Presumably he has yours.

 

But what about Manny’s boxing career, which has been exemplary, old-school in every respect?

 

Speaking Sunday with Toni Gonzaga on her YouTube show Toni Talks, Pacquiao said, to the chagrin of many fight fans, “My boxing career? My boxing career is over.”

 

He didn’t embarrass himself in his recent loss. He fought well considering the distractions. He said after the fight, “You might not see Manny Pacquiao in the ring again to fight.” But can he just walk away?

 

If he has bigger fish to fry, the answer is “Oo (Yes).”

 

“It’s done because I’ve been in boxing for a long time and my family says that it is enough,” he said. “I just continued because I’m passionate about this sport.”

 

We haven’t seen the last of Manny Pacquiao. Hopefully he’ll achieve his political goals and save his country if not the world. His compassion is genuine, as genuine as his love for the Philippine people and the sport of boxing.