Manny Pacquiao is a legend in the sport, but he is now 45 years old and hasn't boxed since a unanimous 2021 decision loss to Yordenis Ugas; but the WBC has paved the way for him to come out of retirement and go straight into a welterweight world championship contest
Wednesday 3 July 2024 11:10, UK
The WBC has endorsed Manny Pacquiao fighting for a welterweight world title, even though the boxing legend is now 45 years old and hasn’t boxed since his 2021 defeat to Yordenis Ugas.
Pacquiao even announced his own retirement after that bout with Ugas.
However WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has opened the door for Pacquiao to return to world championship action.
"Manny Pacquiao is timeless. He's a legend," Sulaiman told Sky Sports.
"We have great precedent of former champions coming back as long as they pass successfully all the medical examinations.
"As a former champion and as a legend, he does have the possibility of fighting for the WBC championship."
It's a course of action that the WBC president would in fact welcome.
"I do like the idea very much. I think Manny Pacquiao can beat any fighter or can be competitive with any fighter today," Sulaiman said.
"But to have him return to the WBC more than two decades after he won his first world championship, which was the WBC flyweight title and then go all the way to welterweight in 2024 would be sensational."
The WBC welterweight world title is currently vacant after Terence Crawford moved up to 154lbs and Pacquiao is targeting a potential championship bout with Mario Barrios.
"We're still in under negotiation," Pacquiao said last month of the possible Barrios fight.
"And, we're talking about that. The fight has not materialised yet. But that negotiation is ongoing."
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