It’s not easy to stay relevant in boxing for so long. Fans must continue to be entertained by the fighter, while the boxer himself must stay in tip-top shape and deliver good performances every time he steps into the ring. The hype can fade quickly, especially if they’ve been out of the ring for too long.
Manny Pacquiao appears to be going through that right now. At 46 years old, the legendary boxer is set to make a stunning comeback, competing for a world title a an unprecedented age. Yet his upcoming event is being dwarfed by Canelo Alvarez, Terence Crawford and others. Some may feel as if Pacquiao’s return is a gimmick, but he’s as serious as it gets when it comes to competing. He’s been this way for a while, too.
Manny Pacquiao wanted to keep fighting instead of retiring in 2021
While speaking to Fight Hub TV following a recent training session, Pacquiao revealed the moment he knew he wouldn’t stay retired. In his mind, he knew his retirement in 2021 would never last; in fact, he thinks he could have kept going at that moment in time.
When I announce my retirement 2021, like four years ago, I feel so bad. I still have in my heart, in my mind I can fight, I can work hard, I can still dedicate myself in training but I don’t regret that because I announce my retirement in 2021 because it’s good for my body to rest for a couple of years and then come back.
“PacMan” also spoke a little bit about his comeback and what it’s been like physically. He says that the most difficult part about his comeback attempt has been “burning the fat in your body”.
Of course, that becomes tougher the older you get, but Pacquiao has done an amazing job getting back into fighting shape. On July 19, we will find out just how “back” he really is.
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