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Manny Pacquiao’s words echoed in an empty T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night.
“When our lives are over in this world, we can’t take anything,” he said. “In this sport, it’s my passion, that’s why I’m still here, continues to fight at 42 years old. I like it, but sometimes you have to think about the lifespan of your body.
Pacquiao was sitting at the post-fight press conference, right at ringside he had shared with Yordenis Ugas hours earlier. Ugas, a 35-year-old Cuban who took the fight off the cuff, had just beaten the Filipino senator by unanimous decision.
With the adrenaline rush of the ring walk and Pacquiao’s introduction, the questions quickly turned into a different topic: was that it? Was this the last time the legendary Eight Division champion stepped into the ring?
Pacquiao didn’t respond somehow, but his somber tone and thoughtful demeanor suggested that was probably it. He’s been thinking about presiding over his native Philippines and, well, he’s done everything a boxer could do in a 26-year professional career.
He was slowly and methodically passing the torch to the next generation. The opposite, almost, of how he violently snatched it away from Oscar De La Hoya in his own star performance 13 years ago. If this was really his last fight, he lost to an elite fighter at the top of his game.
Ugas was gorgeous, using his height advantage and stiff jab to make sure the fight went on his terms. Pacquiao’s vintage quickness was there in lightning bolts, but he could never land clip-specific combinations high enough to string together spins. Ugas, who had closed as a 3-1 underdog, never let Pacquiao get inside.
“Pacquiao was a great competitor. I have a lot of respect for him, ”Ugas said. “But I won the fight. I am very emotional and proud.
Pacquiao admitted after the fight that his legs were stiff, likely the result of a worn out 42-year-old body trying to say something to him. He wasn’t even supposed to fight Ugas – that mission was originally given to the undefeated Errol Spence Jr. before a torn retina forced him out of combat – but accepted the tough new opponent less two weeks before the fight. .
This version of Pacquiao didn’t quite look like the one who stepped back in time with a win over Keith Thurman in July 2019. This one was still the game, a resilient and fast-paced fighter who struggled with knockout losses and more. big opponents his entire career. There was just something missing.
Pacquiao has fought 22 times in Las Vegas, starting with his debut in the United States over 20 years ago. He has played against the biggest stars of his generation, electrifying crowds and building a global fan base. It does appear that Saturday is at least one version of his swan song.
If so, he leaves the sport 62-8-2 with 39 knockouts.
“I’ve done a lot for boxing, and boxing has done a lot for me,” said the adult version of the 16-year-old who put weights in his pockets to make the minimum limit for his professional debut.
It was an understatement.
Contact Jonah Dylan at [email protected]. To follow @TheJonahDylan on Twitter.
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