LAS VEGAS, Nevada—The whole world has seen the best of Manny Pacquiao as he carved his rightful place in the annals of boxing.
On Sunday, the world saw his worst, if not the last time he’d be inside the ring. But Pacquiao, at 42, is in no rush to retire from the sport he loves so well.
“I have to consider my body,” he said. “I will see the response of my body.”
Pacquiao suffered a unanimous decision loss at the hands of Cuban orthodox fighter Yordenis Ugás who retained the World Boxing Association welterweight crown the Filipino won two years ago atop the ring opposite Keith Thurman.
The Filipino boxing icon obviously was the inferior boxer inside the ring, unable to move around as fluidly as he did many times in the past that made him an eight-division world champion.
The lethal punches that did the talking as he took one superior and equally illustrious fighter after another was also wanting in the fight viewed by a live fans of more than 17,000.
Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s long-time trainer, said Saturday’s loss could be the sign of retirement.
“I hate to see the day he retires, but this could be it,” Roach said. “He didn’t perform well. I am a little bit worried about it. He boxed for a long time.”
But again, Pacquiao has given himself a month to make one final decision—including on his aspiration of becoming the 17th president of the Philippine republic.
“As long as I live in this world, I want to leave a good legacy not only as a good fighter but I also want to be an inspiration to everybody inside and outside the ring,” said Pacquiao, who has boxed professionally for more than two decades. “I’m a public servant, not a politician. I want to serve my people.”
Pacquiao said he has no regrets taking on a substitute fighter just to entertain his million fans. He was supposed to fight International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council welterweight titleholder Errol Spence Jr., but was forced to withdraw at the last minute because of a left eye injury.
“I don’t have any regrets for taking the fight. No excuses for me,” the fighting senator said. “As I said, boxing is my passion, that’s why I am here at age 42. I am enjoying it.”
BusinessMirror learned that Pacquiao’s eyes were irritated from the fight, just like what happened when he fought Adrien Broner and Thurman in 2019.
He added he wanted to take on the best fighters in his weight class to motivate the young lions led by IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas, World Boxing Organization bantamweight champion Johnriel Casimero and rising featherweight star Mark Magsayo and Jonas Sultan, among others.
Pacquiao, his family and entourage left Las Vegas quietly before noon on Sunday and are expected to stay a few days in Los Angeles before returning to the Philippines.
Image courtesy of AP