WHEN Manny Pacquiao defeated American Adrien Broner in Las Vegas on Sunday, Jan. 20, to defend a piece of the world welterweight crown he is holding, many said that even at 40 years old, he still got plenty of fight in him. The younger Broner lost via unanimous decision in a bout in which he was badly outclassed. Months before that, Pacquiao knocked out another younger fighter, Lucas Matthysse.
It was Pacquiao’s 61st win in a professional boxing career that spans 24 years and which saw him win world crowns in an unprecedented eight boxing divisions. And that win led Pacquiao to proclaim that “The Manny Pacquiao journey continues.” “At the age of 40 I can still give my best,” he declared.
With his latest showing, it is difficult to disagree with his claim, although age has ways of surprising a boxer. Like many athletes, the aging boxer always is the last to know he no longer has it. Legendary boxer Muhammad Ali fought Larry Holmes for a piece of the world heavyweight crown even when he was 38 years old and was already showing signs of a Parkinson’s disease affliction. He was badly outboxed.
Winning when you are already an old boxer is illusory. It is usually only when the boxer is soundly outclassed by a younger opponent that he thinks of retirement. That happened to many boxers, one of them being Oscar de la Hoya whom a younger and smaller Pacquiao punched to submission. He retired after that fight.
Should Pacquiao wait until a bout exposes him as old and then he ends up badly punished? There is one lucrative fight out there that he obviously wants, and that is against Floyd Mayweather Jr. But that should only be his last bout.
Age, though, is not the only reason why Pacquiao should quit boxing altogether. He wasn’t asked about this probably out of respect but he is a senator of the land and some of those who voted for him are probably wondering what he has done in the Senate when he is not training for another bout.
Only 24 people can become senator in a country with around 100 million people. That’s how precious a Senate seat is. It shouldn’t be wasted.