Pacquiao says he ‘may not’ fight again following Ugas setback

Manny Pacquiao says he would take his time before determining his future, but he acknowledged on Saturday he may not fight again after losing to Yordenis Ugas.

He said he will focus on his political career in the Philippines after losing a unanimous decision to Ugas.

“You may not see Manny Pacquiao fight again,” Pacquiao stated. “I don’t know.”

“I’ve done a lot for boxing and boxing has done a lot for me. So, I can spend time with my family and plan my boxing career.”

If Pacquiao’s defeat on Saturday was his last, it ended a dazzling 26-year professional career that cemented his place among the all-time greats.

On Saturday, Pacquiao was outboxed and outfoxed by a skilled, younger opponent in Ugas.

Although Ugas said he would give Pacquiao a rematch, it is difficult to see how a second fight would go any differently.

Also, younger welterweights like Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford may pose a threat to the experienced Filipino.

“I want to keep fighting,” Pacquiao stated. “But I must also consider my body.”

Pacquiao is now likely to pursue a political career. Pacquiao, a Philippines senator, is said to be considering a run for president.

“My goal is to assist people, and I have a lot to do,” Pacquiao added. “I want to be an inspiration to all Filipinos inside and outside the ring. Moreover, I eagerly anticipate returning to the Philippines to serve the millions of Filipinos affected by the pandemic.”

Pacquiao, who was fighting for the first time in two years, claimed he felt a “cramp” in his legs and attributed it to over-training as well as age.

“I couldn’t move. My two legs were tight. But I’m not making excuses,” he said. “Too much hard work. I ran in the mountains, also doing 32 rounds (in training) every day. I don’t know. We’re not young anymore.

“I did my best tonight, but my best wasn’t good enough. No excuses. I wanted to fight for the title in the ring, and the champion tonight is still Ugas.”

Pacquiao’s longtime trainer Freddie Roach said that time may have finally caught up with him.

Roach has consistently said that if Pacquiao refuses to retire, he would be the first to urge him to do so.

“He’s the greatest customer, person, and boxer I’ve ever had,” Roach added. “I’ll hate to see the day Manny retires, but this could be it. We’ll see what Manny decides.”

Roach claimed Pacquiao had trouble adjusting to Ugas’ height and reach advantages. “His range was hard to get to,” Roach said. “He’s got long arms, very tall, he was hard to get to. He fought a good fight. We just couldn’t reach him.”