MANILA, Philippines: World boxing star Manny Pacquiao’s April 9 bout with Timothy Bradley came under a cloud Monday when the Philippine elections commission was asked to stop the Las Vegas match because it would give the Filipino slugger and senatorial candidate massive publicity.

Former Rep. Walden Bello, also a senatorial candidate in the May 9 elections, said in his petition to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that allowing the welterweight fight to proceed during the campaign period would violate a law giving candidates equal access to media publicity and a ban on TV and radio programs favoring a candidate.

Bello, a left-wing politician who has not fared well in voter-preference polls ahead of the elections, said the fight, which Pacquiao declared would be his last, should be postponed until after the elections.

Pacquiao, 37, has not fought since losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr. last May in the richest fight ever. Pacquiao reportedly made more than $100 million for that fight, and is guaranteed $20 million to fight Bradley.

The eight-division champion is the Philippines’ most famous athlete. He has represented Sarangani province in the Philippines’ House of Representatives since May 2010, though he has drawn criticism for seldom showing up for legislative duties.

Pacquiao will face Bradley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, completing a trilogy between two of the world’s top welterweights. Bradley won a hotly disputed split decision over Pacquiao in their first meeting in June 2012, but Pacquiao won by unanimous decision in the April 2014 rematch.

Bello’s petition said that if the spirit and intent of the Fair Elections Act were to be strictly followed, then Pacquiao should be required to go on leave from his profession during the campaign period.