Legendary boxer and Filipino politician Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao has officially announced his retirement from boxing.
Hanging up his gloves: After a 26-year-long career, the 42-year-old boxer has decided to retire from the sport, Hypebeast reported.
- In a video shared on his official Facebook page, an emotional Pacquiao bid farewell to the ring and thanked his fans, friends and loved ones.
- “As I hang up my boxing gloves,” he said, “I would like to thank the whole world, especially the Filipino people for supporting Manny Pacquiao. Goodbye boxing. It is difficult for me to accept that my time as a boxer is over. Today I am announcing my retirement.”
- He continued to thank his fans by saying, “When my family was desperate, you gave us hope. You gave me the chance to fight my way out of poverty…Because of you, I have been given the courage to change more lives…I just heard the final bell. Boxing is over.”
- As of this writing, his Facebook video has garnered 29,000 reactions and almost 400,000 views.
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About the PacMan: The Filipino athlete, claimed to be one of the greatest professional boxers of all time, is the only boxer who has held several world championships across four different decades, according to the BBC.
- Throughout his career, Pacquiao won 62 fights during his 72-fight career, as well as 12 world titles.
- Before becoming one of the highest-paid athletes of all time, Pacquiao grew up in poverty. He moved to Manila to pursue a career in boxing while he was still a teenager.
- In 1998, he won his first major title — the World Boxing Council flyweight title — at the age of 19.
- He is the only eight-division boxing champion in history, according to ESPN.
- Throughout the years, he has been compared to several other famous boxers. According to ABC News, veteran boxing promoter Bob Arum once said that the “PacMan,” his nickname, was better than Muhammad Ali.
- Pacquiao is currently a senator in his home country. Just last week, he announced his plan to run for president in the 2022 Philippine elections.
Featured Image via Manny Pacquaio
