Professional boxing superstar Manny Pakiao (45, Philippines) withdraws his retirement declaration in August 2021 and prepares for an official match.
In an interview reported by Australian broadcaster ‘Ninth Wide World of Sports’, Pacquiao admitted that negotiations were underway with Conor Ben (27, England) before returning to professional boxing.
Ben is the World Boxing Association (WBA) Welterweight (-66.7kg) Continental Champion since 2018 and has successfully defended the 7th round, making his professional debut 21 wins in a row (14KO). It was ranked 6th in the World Boxing Council (WBC) April 2023 ranking. 메이저놀이터
In December 2022, Pakiao won a unanimous decision victory in a boxing demonstration match with martial arts instructor and 660,000-subscriber YouTuber Yoo Gyeong-kyung (44), and then donated the entire amount of the match fee to Ukraine for war damage recovery.
‘Ninth Wide World of Sports’ said, “We are preparing for a comeback, not an exhibition game. It seems that he will compete in professional boxing again.”
Pacquiao said, “Exhibition matches are fine,” and said that he was open to events with good intentions in the future, but “I miss (real) boxing. I want to become a world champion again.”
Pacquiao, who debuted in 1995 ▲1998 Flyweight(-50.8kg) ▲1999 Super Bantamweight(-55.3kg) ▲2003 Featherweight(-57.2kg) ▲2005 Super Featherweight(-59kg) ▲2008 Lightweight -61.2kg) ▲ 2009 Super Lightweight (-63.5kg) ▲ 2009 Welterweight ▲ 2010 Super Welterweight (-66.9kg).
If you add the ▲Super Flyweight (-52.2kg) ▲Bantamweight (-53.5kg) omitted in the middle, it is safe to say that it was a world class in 10 weight classes. Pacquiao said, “I still have a dream I want to achieve in boxing. I am concentrating on training and conditioning so as not to lose speed and power.”
At the end of last year, Pacquiao showed overwhelming skills against Yoo Dae-kyung without any effort. “(Compared to my actual age in my mid-40s) I am still moving like a 30-year-old or 20-year-old (compared to the general public),” he expressed satisfaction with his physical condition.