Pacquiao retires from boxing after nearly three decades

CEBU, Philippines —  Manny Pacquiao is done with boxing.

The announcement came straight from the horse’s mouth.

Reaffirming the statements he made during an interview with entertainment personality and vlogger Toni Gonzaga, the senator said he is already hanging up his gloves for good, putting an end to what has been an illustrious fistic career that spanned nearly three decades.

“Retire na (I’m retired),” was Pacquiao’s reply when The Freeman sought clarification on the status of his boxing career following his much-talked-about interview with Gonzaga.

As of this writing, Pacquiao is in Cebu for a three-day sortie. He took oath as “honorary chairman” of PROMDI (Probinsya Muna Development Initiative) evening on Sunday, September 26, 2021.

PROMDI is a Cebu-based political group founded by the late Cebu Governor Emilio Mario “Lito” Osmeña in 1997.

In the same event attended by a large throng of Pacquiao supporters from various stakeholder groups, the Filipino sports hero accepted the nomination as presidential candidate of PROMDI in the upcoming May 2022 elections.

Pacquiao first discussed about his retirement in Gonzaga’s “Toni Talks” show posted in the latter’s YouTube Channel last September 20, a day after Pacquiao accepted the nomination of his block in the PDP-Laban (Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan) to be the standard bearer in next year’s polls.

When asked by Gonzaga what will happen to his boxing career if he becomes president, Pacquiao said:

“Boxing career ko? Tapos na 'yung boxing career ko. (My boxing career? It’s over).”

“Tapos na. Kasi matagal na din ako sa pagbo-boxing. 'Yung pamilya ko, laging sinasabi ‘tama na’. Nagtuloy-tuloy lang ako kasi passionate ako sa sport na ito. (It’s done. Because I’ve been in boxing for a long time. My family has always been convincing me to retire. I just continued because I’m very passionate about this sport).”

“Magsu-support na lang ako ng mga boksingero para magkaroon tayo ng champion ulit. (I will just support Filipino boxers so we will have another champion),” he continued.

After local and international media outlets picked up the news, Pacquiao’s right-hand man, Sean Gibbons, the president of MP Promotions, insisted that Pacquiao hasn’t officially retired from the sport.

“In the coming weeks, the senator will decide how he's going to finish his professional boxing career. After the fight and recently, he's discussed retiring [or] maybe one more [fight]. He's just talking out loud about different situations,” Gibbons told ESPN’s Mike Coppinger.

"Until you see it officially come out on his Twitter or Instagram, he isn't retired. Once you see it on a platform like that, it's official. Anything else is just talk about what his thoughts are in the moment. It's coming from him, but it's hearsay," he added.

But during PROMDI’s political gathering in Cebu, Pacquiao confirmed that he has indeed called it a day.

“Retire na, (I’m retired),” Pacquiao. “Dili nako mo-away. Okay pa ako Iihok pero tama na. Dugay na pud ko sa boksing. (I will no longer fight. I still have the moves but it’s enough. I’ve been in boxing for a long time already).”

Calls for Pacquiao’s retirement immediately resonated across the boxing world after he suffered a stunning defeat by unanimous decision at the hands of Cuba’s Yordenis Ugas in their WBA ‘Super’ welterweight championship bout last August 21 (August 22 Phl time) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Pacquiao, who will be turning 43 on December 17, himself hinted at retirement in the wake of his disheartening loss to Ugas. “In the future, you may not see Manny Pacquiao again to fight in the ring. I don’t know.”

 CHAMPION

For many of his millions of fans around the globe, Pacquiao’s legacy and place in history are already secured and that it’s high time for the legendary warrior to call it a day because he has nothing more to prove at this stage of his storied career.

With 12 major world titles under his belt, Pacquiao etched his name in stone as the first and only boxer to win eight world titles in eight weight divisions, reign as world champion across four decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s), and clinch lineal championship in five different weight classes among his record-establishing feats.

When he handed American Keith Thurman his first defeat back in July 2019, Pacquiao reached another milestone as the oldest welterweight world champion at 40 years old and, at the same time, the first fighter in history to become a recognized four-time world welterweight king.

Given his countless accomplishments, Pacquiao is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most successful boxers of all time. He has compiled a 62-8-2 record (win-loss-draw) spiked with 39 knockouts in a brilliant 26-year pro career he kicked off with a unanimous decision victory over Edmund Enting Ignacio on January 22, 1995 in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro.

Among his most notable triumphs worth remembering for were against Thailand’s Chatchai Saskul; South Africa’s Lehlo Ledwaba; Mexican greats Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, and Juan Manuel Marquez; Britain’s Ricky Hatton; Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto; Mexican-American Antonio Margarito; and Americans Shane Mosley and Oscar de la Hoya who he sent to retirement in 2008.

In his 26 years as a fearless ring gladiator, Pacquiao captivated the hearts of millions not only with his sublime fighting skills but also with his inspiring rags-to-riches story that transformed him into a global icon.

From a nondescript fighter who once lived on the streets and earned a living as a construction worker and street vendor, Pacquiao rose to phenomenal fame and fortune with at least $446 million (P22.3 billion) in prize money not counting his earnings from his last two fights against Thurman and Ugas. He has a net worth of $220 million (P11 billion) as of February 2021, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

For all that he has achieved in boxing, Pacquiao said he wants to duplicate it in the political arena where he will pour in all his energy and resources in the coming months in pursuit of the highest office in the Philippines.

“God raised me from nothing to something for a purpose,” Pacquiao said.“Pangarap ko na mag-champion din ako ng eight divisions sa public service (I dream to become an eight-division champion also in public service).”

“Basta para sa mga kababayan ko, wala akong laban na aatrasan. (As long as it is for my countrymen, I will never back down from any fight),” he vowed.   (FREEMAN)