Manny Pacquiao Loses to Ugás, Might Retire
Legendary Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao meets his match after losing to Cuba's Yordenis Ugás by unanimous decision.
Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao has lost by unanimous decision on Saturday night.
Playing against the 35-year-old Yordenis Ugás, Pacquiao, now aged 42, was not able to counter his opponent’s precise jabs as the latter grew more effective in later rounds.
Ugás received a score of 116-112 from two judges and 115-113 from another, securing his victory and seemingly concluding a chapter of the Filipino fighter’s professional journey.
In a statement after the declaration of the results, Ugás said: “He’s a great competitor, but I came in here to show I am the champion of the WBA... I have a lot of respect for him, but I won this fight.”
Ugás is a Cuban fighter holding the WBA (World Boxing Association) super welterweight title since January 2021. Pacquiao previously held it but was stripped from him after his career was on hiatus for a short period of time. The fight allowed both former and current title holders to meet and determine, once and for all, who would preserve it.
"PacMan," the Filipino boxer's renowned nickname, admitted that there is a 60/40 chance of him retiring after his loss, a decision he has been contemplating for some time.
Manny Pacquiao, one of the greatest professional boxers of all time, is the only eight-division world champion in the sport’s history to have won 12 major world titles. He is currently serving as a Senator since 2016 and is expected to run in the upcoming Filipino presidential election. At the age of 42, he has already cemented his legacy as a unique figure in multiple areas.