By Harvey Hoffman
Manny Pacquiao announced his retirement last night, three months shy of his 43rd birthday and one month after a decision loss to Yordenis Ugas.
The only eight-division champion in boxing history, Pacquiao won his first title at 108 pounds and captured a title at 154 pounds too. He’ll be best remembered for his 2015 fight with Floyd Mayweather that shattered revenue records; a quartet of thrilling fights with his greatest rival, Juan Manuel Marquez; and a meteoric rise during the 2000s highlighted by spectacular knockouts of notable fighters no matter how high he climbed in weight.
“Even me, I’m amazed at what I have done,” Pacquiao, who won 12 world titles, said in the 14-plus-minute retirement video he posted on social media. “The only boxer to hold world titles in four different decades and became the oldest boxer to win a world welterweight title; an amazing accomplishment.”
“It is difficult for me to accept that my time as a boxer is over,” he added. “Today, I am announcing my retirement. I never thought that this day would come. As I hang up my boxing gloves, I would like to thank the whole world, especially the Filipino people, for supporting Manny Pacquiao.”
A sitting senator in the Philippines, Pacquiao recently announced he will run for president in May’s election against incumbent Rodrigo Duterte.
