Eight division world champion boxer Manny Pacquiao did make his much awaited return to the squared circle, but his comeback fight didn’t fill the hopes of his fans as Pacquiao suffered a loss against Yordenis Ugas.
The 42-year-old, who returned to boxing after a hiatus of two years, suffered a unanimous decision loss against WBA (Super) welterweight champion Ugas at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on last Saturday night.
Despite the aura Pacquiao exudes inside the ring and still going competitive against a much larger Ugas, it was evident that age has slowly crept up with the Filipino legend, who didn’t live up to the expectations on his comeback fight.
We haven’t seen the last of Manny Pacquiao in the ring: WBC prez Mauricio Sulaiman
Following the 115-113, 116-112, 116-112 unanimous victory for Ugas, Pacquiao even hinted that while its not immediate, but he might have to contemplate hanging up his gloves sooner or later.
“[My] two legs are cramping that’s why I cannot move,” Pacquiao had revealed after the fight, “this time around my two legs are tired and hurting from the second round.”
“We can’t avoid that [retirement]. It’s just my mind, my heart is 100 percent but my legs are cramping. We pushed a lot,” the Senator added. [H/T Hypebeast]
However, World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman wholeheartedly believes that the legendary boxer still has one fight left in him, and despite Pacquiao aiming to run for President next year, he has not yet had his final boxing match.
“Manny is legendary,” Sulaiman said in an interview with The Mexican Herald, “he has specific accomplishments that put him right in the Hall of Fame, with records that will not be broken. This fight from Saturday is difficult to evaluate. It would be unfair to say that this is the real Manny Pacquiao.”
“We do not know what he will decide: if he enters the race to be the president of his country and retires from boxing, or maybe he will seek that vindication [in the ring],” the WBC prez went on, “two years of inactivity weighs a lot on any boxer, anyone who is out for two years is going to have effects and on top of that they change your opponent ten days before [the fight as well]… it is unfair to evaluate Manny’s career based on this last performance.”
“In my personal opinion, we haven’t seen the last of Manny Pacquiao in the ring. He is a true icon of world sport and we wish him every success” he added. [H/T BoxingScene]
