adminSINGAPORE. — Philippine boxing icon Manny Pacquiao said yesterday that he can fight for another three years despite two successive losses, brushing aside calls for him to retire and focus on his political career. He told journalists at a promotional event in Singapore, for his November 24 bout in Macau with American Brandon Rios, that his Mexican arch rival Juan Manuel Marquez just got lucky when they fought in December last year.
“It’s part of boxing, sometimes you lose, sometimes you win, and I think he just got the lucky chance, the lucky shot in that fight,” said Pacquiao, who crumpled to the canvas after a crushing right from Marquez in the sixth round.
Asked how much longer he sees himself in the ring, the 34-year-old, now serving a second term as a Philippine congressman, vowed that “as long as I can still fight, I am going to fight. In my mind, I can still fight two to three years from now,” said Pacquiao, the only fighter in history to win world titles in eight different weight divisions.
A storm of controversy erupted in the Philippines last week after Pacquiao said he had considered running for president in the future, although a spokesman later said he had no immediate plans to further his political career and that he “knows very well” he cannot contest an election until he is aged 40. — AFP.
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