Pacquiao honoured for hall of fame career, Philippine fighter says ‘best is yet to come’
Manny Pacquiao has been enshrined in boxing’s hall of fame, but he’s getting back in the ring next month for shot at WBC champion Mario Barrios
Manny Pacquiao’s fighting days aren’t finished yet, as he’s coming out of retirement at 46 for a shot at another title next month.
No matter what happens in the remaining stage, it’s hard to find many better résumés than the one he has already assembled in a career that landed him in the International Boxing Hall of Fame in New York on Sunday.
“And now, when I look back, eight-division world champion, world titles in four different decades, oldest welterweight world champion in history, those are not just opinions. They are facts,” Pacquiao said.
The Philippine fighter was the headline name in the class of 2025 that was enshrined during a ceremony at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona. He won’t be able to celebrate too long, as then it’s back to training for his July 19 bout in Las Vegas against WBC champion Mario Barrios.
Pacquiao didn’t mention that during his speech at the end of a lengthy induction ceremony. Instead he focused on the record-setting accomplishment of winning titles in eight weight classes, a fighter who made his pro debut in the 106-pound class and rose all the way to win a title at the 154lbs limit.
“From flyweight to junior middleweight, eight divisions,” Pacquiao said. “Every fight, every victory was a step further from poverty. It was not just for me but for my family, for the Filipino people.”
