Philippine hero Manny Pacquiao readies for title bout without a win in 6 years
Boxing Hall of Famer, now 46, to face champion 16 years younger and a head taller
Manny Pacquiao, right, fights Yordenis Ugas in a world welterweight championship bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Aug 21, 2021. The Filipino legend plans to enter the ring again at the age of 46. © Reuters
TOM GRAY
Legendary boxer Manny Pacquiao first became a world champion at the age of 19 on December 4, 1998. The Clinton-Lewinsky scandal was in full swing, households were transitioning from VHS videotape to DVD, and Google had just been founded.
It's incredible to think -- and disconcerting for some -- that the great Pacquiao will return to the ring as a 46-year-old on July 19, 2025. More alarming is that the former champ will be vying for a legitimate world title, despite not having won a fight in six years. His last pro appearance was a points loss to Cuban technician fighter, Yordenis Ugas in August 2021.
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