Filipino icon Pacquiao hints at retirement after losing to Ugas

Ater an unimpressive performance on his return from the longest layoff of his quarter-century in professional boxing, Pacquiao says he hasn’t decided whether he will fight again

Las vegas

Yordenis Ugas bludgeoned Manny Pacquiao ever closer to retirement on Saturday, upsetting the veteran Filipino boxing icon with a comprehensive defeat.

In his first fight after a two-year absence from the ring, Pacquiao was made to look every bit of his 42 years as the younger Ugas dominated with a stinging jab and cleaner punching to retain his WBA welterweight crown at Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena.

Ugas, 35, had only been drafted in to face Pacquiao earlier this month after the eight-division world champion’s original opponent Errol Spence Jr, suffered an eye injury in training.

But the defending champion from Cuba seized his opportunity brilliantly to win on all three cards, with one judge scoring it 115-113 and two others 116-112.

A deflated Pacquiao said afterward he will take his time before deciding on his future, but admitted the boxing world may well have seen him in the ring for the last time.

“In the future you may not see Manny Pacquiao fight in the ring,” Pacquiao said.