Boxing star Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday announced he was hanging up his gloves a week after he launched his bid for president of the Philippines.
“It is difficult for me to accept that my time as a boxer is over,” the 42-year-old boxing champion in eight divisions said in a video message posted on his Facebook page.
“I never thought that this day would come,” he added. “Good bye, boxing.”
Pacquiao, a member of the Philippine Senate, started his professional boxing career when he was 16 years old.
He has since won 12 major world titles in eight different weight divisions.
He thanked his family, supporters, coaches and members of his team for helping him in his career, as well as boxing fans all over the world.
“Boxing has always been my passion,” he said, adding that the sport gave him the chance to change his life and inspire people to change their own.
“When my family was desperate, you gave us hope,” he said.
“You gave me the chance to fight our way out of poverty… I will never forget what I have done and accomplished in my life that I can’t imagine.”
Last Sunday, Pacquiao announced he will run for president of the Philippines in the May 2022 elections. He did not say anything about his political career in his retirement message.
dpa/NAN
