Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao desired to take part in this 12 months’s Summer Olympics, however the International Olympic Committee has let him know he’s been denied to represent the Philippines.
Pacquaio, 45, needed an exemption from the IOC to participate since the age limit for boxers is 40.
However the IOC sent him a letter denying his request for the exemption.
It was also reported the Philippines themselves tried to get a “universality” entry, which is given on to the Olympics for countries that don’t have many athletes.
But that also wasn’t granted.
“Universality places should not allocated to [teams] with a median of greater than eight athletes in individual sports/disciplines on the last two editions of the Olympic Games,” the IOC said in an announcement. “That is the case for the Philippine Olympic Committee.”
Pacquiao has been retired since 2021, but as of February 2023, he’s posted videos of him still trying in a boxing gym and appears to still have his patented quick hands.
In fact, Pacquiao isn’t as quick and agile as he was within the late Nineties, coming up as a 16-year-old phenom.
Pacquiao went on to win his first world championship, the WBC flyweight title, in December 1998.
From there, he would win seven more different weight classes: junior featherweight, featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight, junior welterweight, welterweight, and junior middleweight.
The Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. rivalry was also top-of-the-line in recent boxing history, as the previous lost in 2015 by decision.
Today, it remains to be one of the lucrative boxing matches ever, bringing in greater than $600 million.
Pacquiao’s last pro fight got here against Yordenis Ugas, which he lost in August 2021.
But Pacquiao’s impact within the Philippines has been admirable, as he served within the House of Representatives from 2010-2016, after which as a senator.
Due to that, though, he wasn’t capable of take part in the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Pacquiao’s profession as an expert has seen a 62-8-2 record, 39 of his wins being by knockout. He’s also 60-4 as an amateur.
Nonetheless, his desire to take part in the Olympics comes from the very fact he’s never done it before.
However the IOC won’t make the exemption despite his illustrious profession in the game.