CHICAGO - Athletes are notorious for the misuse, abuse and overuse of the word "retirement."
It's like a third-grader telling his crush "I love you" even though he has yet to grasp the true meaning of those three most powerful words.
So every time I hear a sports hero call it quits, I am usually overcome with doubt.
After telling the world he "had nothing more left to prove" in 1993, Michael Jordan came out of retirement. Twice. Damn, he even once shed the iconic Bulls clothing for a powerless Wizard.
After he said his career was over due to a detached retina in 1982, Sugar Ray Leonard fought again. Seven more times in the next 15 years.
And didn't Evander Holyfield, old and feeble at age 58, just fight two weeks ago in Miami?
So, yeah, you can now see where I'm coming from.
But when I saw the 14-minute farewell to boxing video that Manny Pacquiao disseminated through his social media platforms today, I was convinced that this was really it.
The sincerity and the mixed emotions that nudged him close to tears as he condensed his 26-year Hall-of-Fame journey into 840 seconds of "thank yous" made me believe that there is no coming back.
Unlike retired athletes who are left with little else to do after the roar of a crowded arena fades, Manny Pacquiao will have his hands full in the noble purpose of helping the meek and the weak among his fellowmen.
"So, which one is your favorite Pacquiao fight?" I am asked often by my friends from the international media when we do small talk at the press box while covering lopsided NBA games.
IT'S HARD TO CHOOSE. IT'S LIKE PICKING THE SINGLE MOST BEAUTIFUL ROSE ON A FLOWER FIELD IN HEAVEN.
But with a gun to my head and the fate of the universe at stake, I pick his battles with Erik Morales as my favorites.
Heartbreaking because it was checkered with one Manny defeat, that trilogy was delightful in its unbridled violence. Manny made losing cool in a 12-round "I want to kill you brawl" and he made revenge fashionable with a savage 10th round victory in the rematch.
The third fight 10 months later, this time a quick third-round dismissal, established Pacquiao as a star.

Greatest achievement?
Twelve titles and a championship reign throughout four decades is mighty impressive. But the climb from 108 pounds all the way to 154 pounds takes the cake.
If there's one sector that doesn't necessarily endorse PacMan, it's probably the Weight Watchers. In a sport where even half a pound of unwanted weight can spell the difference between triumph and defeat, Manny relished in putting in more meat.
He is peerless as an eight-division champion. He started as a flyweight before bullying bigger guys all the way to the junior middleweight class. No one has ever done that in the sport. No one else ever will.

The impact of Manny's retirement hasn't fully hit me yet.
It will probably start sinking in when I go back to Las Vegas and hear the faint echoes of his past conquests . And I guess it will hit me harder when I see Derrick Rose this season and he'll ask how Manny is doing.
BUT SUCH IS LIFE. THINGS CHANGE. PEOPLE EVOLVE.
And we move on.
I know I say this with a bit of bias given that we share a years-long friendship, one that is forged by our mutual love for boxing, and strengthened by our passion for the NBA.
But of all the star athletes that I've had the wonderful fortune of being around with, no one comes close to the kindness and generosity that he has bestowed to his fans.
I thank him for that, and most importantly, for making Filipinos all over the world proud.
Wherever life takes you, good luck and find happiness, Senator Manny Pacquiao.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph