Manny Pacquiao gestures to fans after his WBA welterweight title fight against Yordenis Ugas at T-Mobile Arena on August 21, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines — Manny Pacquiao will be back in the ring. At least that’s how World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman sees it.
Pacquiao hinted at retirement following his shock loss to Cuban Yordenis Ugas on Sunday (Manila time).
“Manny is legendary. He has specific accomplishments that put him right in the Hall of Fame, with records that will not be broken. This fight from Saturday is difficult to evaluate. It would be unfair to say that this is the real Manny Pacquiao,” Sulaiman told The Mexican Herald.
Sulaiman said the 25-month layoff affected the 42-year-old Pacquiao’s performance as the sport’s only eight division champion seemed off on his timing against Ugas, who won by unanimous decision.
Ugas filled in for the injured Errol Spence just 11 days before the welterweight clash—a development that also did not favor Pacquiao.
“Two years of inactivity weighs a lot on any boxer, anyone who is out for two years is going to have effects and on top of that they change your opponent ten days before [the fight as well]… it is unfair to evaluate Manny’s career based on this last performance,” said Sulaiman.
“In my personal opinion, we haven’t seen the last of Manny Pacquiao in the ring. He is a true icon of world sport and we wish him every success.”