Manny Pacquiao Has Yet To Address Retirement From Boxing After Announcing Presidential Bid

KEY POINTS

It is still unclear if Pacquiao is now retired from boxing after announcing his presidential bid
Pundits feel that Pacquiao has done more than enough and should focus on politics
Pacquiao's decision may have been swayed with a spurned rematch with Yordenis Ugas

Manny Pacquiao has officially revealed his plans, at least one of them on Sunday, Sept. 19.

The eight-time division champion announced his bid for the presidency of the Philippines, a move that drew mixed reactions from various sectors.

However, it may be best to note that while he did announce his political bid, there was still no mention of officially retiring from boxing.

“Today, I boldly accept the challenge of running as president of the Republic of the Philippines, with a message to those who are taking advantage of the Filipino people: Your time is up. I am a fighter,” Pacquiao stated.

There is no question that Pacquiao is a fighter, but running a country and fighting corruption is a bigger animal.

It may be the mother of all battles for the 42-year-old boxer, but it appears he is ready to take it on.

But in the eyes of boxing aficionados, the bigger question is if it does mean he will no longer fight. With his political plans now clear, that could be forthcoming.

However, one thing is certain. The "Pac-Man" is unlikely to hold a rematch with Yordenis Ugas from now until the May 2022 Philippine elections.

Could it possibly happen if he fails in his bid for his country’s presidential seat?

Also, it is worth noting that a report from Boxingscene.com that the WBA “Super” champion must face Eimantas Stanionis within 120 days.

After that, Ugas must face the WBA “Regular” titlist, Jamal James, afterward.

This is assuming that they both hurdle their respective foes. James is set to face Radzhab Butaev in a mandatory defense.

It was not mentioned if these developments contributed to the decision of Pacquiao to run for the Philippine presidency.

But the key thing to note here is that there has yet to be an official retirement announcement.

Regardless, there are fight sports personalities who believe that Pacquiao has done more than enough for the sport. One of them is Boxing Hall of Famer Christy Martin.

“He has made a lot of money, how many belts has he had? A future Hall of Famer, he has nothing left to prove,” she stated when she appeared on the Sports For All PH podcast. “So why not just hang it up and just continue doing what you do? Do the politics, help the people. He has done enough for boxing.”

Meanwhile, BRAVE CF lightweight champion Amin Ayoub also urged Pacquiao to consider retirement when he appeared on the Sports Bytes PH podcast hosted by Brian Yalung and Rica Aquino.

“I think he [Pacquiao] is a very good guy. What he should do now, maybe retire from the competition, maybe focus on politics. I just wish the best for the future for him,” the 25-year-old stated.

Ayoub is set to defend his lightweight title against Ahmed Amir of Egypt at BRAVE CF 54 in Konin, Poland on Saturday, September 25.