Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao retires from the sport to prepare for presidential bid

Hanging up his gloves.

Kayla Wong | September 29, 2021, 04:56 PM

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Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao has announced his retirement from the sport, calling it "the hardest decision" he has ever made.

In a Wednesday (Sep. 29) tweet, the 42-year-old thanked his fans and the sport for "the wonderful memories", adding that he's at peace with the decision.

In a 14-minute video posted on Facebook on the same day, he said boxing had brought him many opportunities, and gave him the chance to fight his way out of poverty.

But it was time for him to hang up his gloves.

"I just heard the final bell. Boxing is over," he said.

The only man to hold world titles in all eight divisions, Pacquiao had won 62 out of 72 matches, winning 39 by knockout and only losing seven bouts in his boxing career

He had previously announced his presidential bid on Sep. 19.

Criticised for not committing to politics fully

Pacquiao has been criticised for not retiring completely from boxing to focus on his political duties -- he had the worst attendance record among senators, mostly due to his fights overseas.

Known for his conservative Christian values which have guided his term as senator since getting elected in 2016, the father of five was not without his controversies during his tenure.

He labelled LGBTQ+ people as "worse than animals", and had to apologise later after he received massive backlash over his comments. Still, he stood by his disapproval of same-sex marriage.

A close ally of Duterte, his support of some of Duterte's controversial policies, such as the return of the death penalty, invited criticism as well.

But he has been criticised for having no clear direction on his policies should he take on the mantle of president.

Even as he spoke out against Duterte's China policies, saying that the president was too soft in the face of China's encroachments on Philippine-claimed territories in the South China Sea, analysts are unsure if it's simply rhetoric or if he really plans to get tough on China, according to Time.

Analysts have also opined that speaking out against Duterte's unpopular policies might simply be a tactic to gain favour with the public as the current president's approval ratings slide, according to the Lowy Institute.

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Top image via Ethan Miller/AFP/Getty Images

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