Manny Pacquaio, 12-time world champion, has announced his retirement from boxing. In a video posted on social media he explains that the decision to retire from boxing “was the most difficult of my life”. “As I hang up my boxing gloves, I would like to thank the whole world, especially the Filipino people for supporting Manny Pacquiao. Goodbye boxing – said the 42-year-old in a 14-minute video posted on social media – It’s hard for me to accept that my time as a boxer is over. Today I announce my retirement ».
Pacquiao, Senator of the Philippines since 2016, ends his 26-year career with 72 fights and 62 wins, 8 losses and 2 draws. Of those 62 wins, 39 were by knockout and 23 by decision. He has won 12 world titles. Pacquaio had mentioned the retirement a short time ago. A decision somewhat expected because at the beginning of September he accepted the appointment of his political party and declared that he will run for the presidency of the Philippines in the elections of May 2022.
Pacquiao accused the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, his formal ally, of aggravating corruption in the Philippines. On 19 September he announced that he will run for president and vowed to fight poverty and warned corrupt politicians that they will soon end up in prison. Pacquiao is the only boxer in history to have won titles in eight different weight classes and honored his Southeast Asian nation, where he is known by his nicknames Pacman, People’s Champ and National Punch. He left his home in the southern Philippines as a teenager to board a ship bound for Manila. He made his professional boxing debut as a junior flyweight in 1995 at the age of 16, struggling out of absolute poverty to become one of the highest paid athletes in the world.