Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao retires after 26-year career

Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao is officially hanging up his gloves, with the Philippines senator announcing his retirement from the sport.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - AUGUST 18: Manny Pacquiao attends a news conference at MGM Grand Garden Arena on August 18, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao will challenge WBA welterweight champion Yordenis Ugas for his title at T-Mobile Arena on August 21 in Las Vegas. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)

Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao is officially hanging up his gloves.

The eight-division world champion and Philippines senator on Wednesday announced his retirement from the ring,

“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,” the 42-year-old said in a 14-minute video posted on his Facebook page.

“It is difficult for me to accept that my time as a boxer is over. Today I am announcing my retirement.”

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Pacquiao finished his 26-year, 72-fight career with 62 wins, eight losses and two draws. Of those 62 wins, 39 were by knockout and 23 by decision. He won 12 world titles.

His retirement from boxing followed a disheartening defeat to Yordenis Ugas in Paradise, Nevada on August 21. The younger Cuban boxer, who defected to the United States in 2010, beat Pacquiao by unanimous decision, retaining his WBA welterweight title. It was Pacquiao’s first fight in more than two years.

“Thank you for changing my life, when my family was desperate, you gave us hope, you gave me the chance to fight my way out of poverty,” Pacquiao said in the video. “Because of you, I was able to inspire people all over the world.

“Because of you I have been given the courage to change more lives. I will never forget what I have done and accomplished in my life that I can’t imagine. I just heard the final bell. The boxing is over.”

Manny Pacquiao is retiring. He was a big part of the reason I fell in love with boxing. An absolute monster and the source of some of my best memories in the sport. Thank you my dude. pic.twitter.com/06vz8ZeWAK

— Alex McClintock (@axmcc) September 29, 2021

Manny #Pacquiao has announced his retirement from boxing.
26 years worth of legendary moments, electric knockouts & pure heart.#Boxing's loss. What a warrior. pic.twitter.com/fLfVAOceeh

— Kevin Connors (@kevconnorsespn) September 29, 2021

Pacquaio had hinted at retirement recently. It also had been expected because he is setting his sights on a bigger political battlefield. Earlier this month, he accepted his political party’s nomination and declared that he will run for Philippines president in the May 2022 elections.

He has accused the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, his formal ally, of making corruption worse in the Philippines. He promised to fight poverty and warned corrupt politicians they will soon end in jail.

Pacquiao’s rags-to-riches life story and legendary career — he is the only fighter in history to win titles in eight different weight classes — has brought honour to his Southeast Asian nation, where he is known by his monikers Pacman, People’s Champ and National Fist.

He left his impoverished home in the southern Philippines as a teenager and stowed away on a ship bound for Manila. He made his professional boxing debut as a junior flyweight in 1995, at the age of 16, fighting his way out of abject poverty to become one of the world’s highest paid athletes.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission