Thanks for the Memories! Manny Pacquiao Announces His Retirement

Manny Pacquiao has made it official. On Wednesday, Sept. 29, the living legend announced on his twitter platform that he was retiring from boxing to give full attention to his political career. A member of the Filipino Senate, Pacquiao had previously announced that he is running for President next year when the term of the incumbent, Rodrigo Duterte, expires. By law, a President of the Philippines is limited to one six-year term. Duterte, 76, has been in office since 2016.

“To the greatest fans and the greatest sport in the world, thank you!”, Pacquiao tweeted. “Thank you for all the wonderful memories. This is the hardest decision I’ve ever made, but I’m at peace with it. Chase your dreams, work hard, and watch what happens. Good bye boxing.”

Emanuel Dapidran “Manny” Pacquiao, who grew up in poverty, turned pro in 1995 at age sixteen. He would go on to win world titles in eight weight classes beginning with the WBC world flyweight title in 1998. In his most recent bout in August, he lost a 12-round decision to Yordenis Ugas at Las Vegas in a bout sanctioned for a WBA world welterweight title.

Pacquaio’s four-bout series with Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez ranks among the greatest rivalries in the history of the sport. His eighth-round stoppage of Oscar De La Hoya in 2008 ranks among the sport’s most notable upsets and his 2015 match with Floyd Mayweather Jr was the mega-fight of all mega-fights, shattering all records for fight revenue.

Pacquiao turns 43 in December. Of all his achievements, perhaps his greatest was holding world titles in four separate decades. He leaves the sport with a record of 62-8-2 (39)

For a more comprehensive look at Manny Pacquiao’s remarkable career from the perspective of a man who had a front row seat at many of Pacquiao’s greatest triumphs, be sure to check back later for a Pacquiao story by Hall of Fame boxing writer Bernard Fernandez.

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