For fans, a fighter’s retirement is not necessarily their absence from the ring for good.
Sometimes, the need to return to the ring is to relive the feats of yesteryear, to feel the adrenaline or even for economic reasons. It is a fact that is to the liking of the fans regardless of whether it is a title fight or an exhibition and lately the spotlight has been on Manny Pacquiao.
Officially, he retired in September 2021 with the purpose of running for the presidential elections in his native Philippines, which he did not win.
Although he held the position of senator, Sean Gibbons, the boxer’s agent, commented a year ago to Boxing Scene about the possibility of seeing the return of “Pacman” to the ring because “he still has a lot to fight for” despite being 46 years old. Time passed without much significance, but the alarms have sounded again.
Recently, the media outlet ES News posted a video of the IBA Night of Champions in December 2024, where there was a celebration for Manny Pacquiao‘s career after he was elected as a member of the Boxing Hall of Fame, the only eight-division champion.
Who could bring Pacquiao back to the ring?
Manny himself has previously mentioned that there are two fighters with whom he could fight: Ryan Garcia or Gervonta Davis, whom he would have liked to face in 2022. According to the Filipino’s own words, the WBA lightweight champion has to fight for a few more years before he can be sure and return to the ring.
When these two fighters met in 2023, the victory went to Gervonta Davis by knockout.
However, it has been speculated that he will retire from boxing during the year. When Pacman was asked during the December Gala if Tank would have a profile for the Hall of Fame, he surprisingly stated that “he has many more fights ahead of him”. He added: “We’ll see, then we’ll see if it’s next year (his return to boxing).
Under these statements, for Manny Pacquiao it is Gervonta Davis who is the ideal profile in his plans to return to the ring. In March, Tank will fight Lamont Roach and if he wins, Pacman’s long-awaited return could be revealed or simply another illusion to see him back in action.