According to Pacquiao, his fighting career has come to an end, though his advisors stated that no final decision has been reached.
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As expected, Manny Pacquiao is planning to run for president in his native Philippines in the 2022 election. According to Pacquiao, his fighting career has come to an end, though his advisors have stated that no final decision on Pacquiao’s in-ring career has been reached. Pacquiao has already had an accomplished political career, earning a seat in the Filipino House of Representatives in 2010 and also winning re-election to the position in the following elections. In 2016 he won a spot in the Filipino Senate. Much of Pacquiao’s time as a senator was spent aligned with the regime of controversial president Rodrigo Duterte until a falling out between the two parties this past summer that included Duterte threatening to campaign against Pacquiao in 2022.
I boldly accept the challenge of running as PRESIDENT of the Philippines. We need progress. We need to win against poverty. We need government to serve our people with integrity, compassion and transparency. The time is now. I am ready to rise to the challenge of leadership. ?? pic.twitter.com/suN1zFTxyW
— Manny Pacquiao (@MannyPacquiao) September 19, 2021
After announcing his intention to run for president as had been speculated for years, Pacquiao appeared to make the end of his boxing career clear.
“It’s done because I’ve been in boxing for a long time and my family says that it is enough,” Pacquiao said during an interview on Sunday. “I just continued because I’m passionate about the sport.”
Pacquiao lost a decision to Yordenis Ugas in August, facing Ugas in a fight that was originally scheduled to be against Errol Spence Jr. After the fight, Pacquiao seemed uncertain about his boxing future.
After his announcement, the head of Pacquiao’s promotional company, Sean Gibbons, told ESPN that Pacquiao’s boxing future was still up in the air.
“In the coming weeks, the senator will decide how he’s going to finish his professional boxing career,” Gibbons said. “After the fight and recently, he’s discussed retiring [or] maybe one more. He’s just talking out loud about different situations.
“Until you see it officially come out on his Twitter or Instagram, he isn’t retired. Once you see it on a platform like that, it’s official. Anything else is just talk about what his thoughts are in the moment. It’s coming from him, but it’s hearsay.”
The WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight belts are on the line as Anthony Joshua faces another mandatory opponent. Joshua was last in action in December 2020 in a successful defence of his three belts against Kubrat Pulev, and has been mandated to face Ukrainian former undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
“Anthony, hello, I am here” ?
Oleksandr Usyk’s message to Anthony Joshua ahead of Saturday’s fight ?
Book Joshua vs Usyk, live on Sky Sports Box Office on September 25 ?https://t.co/nSgrSD8TxW #JoshuaUsyk ? pic.twitter.com/gP6r9BcY6B
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) September 20, 2021
Usyk’s last bout came against Derek Chisora, and he brings an undefeated record into the match-up. Joshua’s only defeat came against Andy Ruiz in 2019 before winning back his belts later in the year.
Whoever wins on Saturday will hope and perhaps even expect to face the winner of Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder for the chance to become undisputed heavyweight champion.
