It's time for Manny Pacquiao to train a successor before he completely leaves boxing for good.
And it could be Mark Magsayo, an unbeaten fighter since stepping on the ring for the first time in 2013.
Commissioner Ramon Fernandez of the Philippine Sports Commission said this after Pacquiao fell in a unanimous decision loss to Cuban Yordenis Ugas in their World Boxing Association welterweight showdown in Las Vegas last Sunday.
That night, judges had the fight, 115-113, 116-112, and 116-112 for the 35-year-old Ugas.
“He has a protégé already in Magsayo. Might as well take care of him as his replacement,” said Fernandez, who followed Pacquiao’s fight closely.
Magsayo’s unbeaten record remained intact when he knocked out Mexican Julio Ceja in the title eliminator for the World Boxing Council featherweight title in one of the Pacquiao-Ugas undercards.
Fernandez said retirement may be a personal decision for Pacquiao at this time.
And he believes “Father Time” may have caught up with him during his clash with Ugas, who claimed a career-changing triumph over the Filipino champion.
Ugas was a last-minute replacement against Pacquiao, whose original foe in Errol Spence Jr. had to beg off after injuring his eye during training some two weeks before the fight.
“He is not the same Manny Pacquiao compared to his last fights. But he’s still our boxing hero,” said Fernandez, now that Pacquiao is on the verge of deciding if he will continue fighting or retire for good.
Ugas, who now has a 27-4 win-loss record (12 by KO), was thankful of his fight with Pacquiao (62-8-2, 39 KO), as it had given him the opportunity to be on the world spotlight.
Ugas was able to prove that he was a better fighter that night, with many analysts believing that the time has come for Pacquiao to hang his gloves.
Ugas, with his height and long reach, proved to be a problem for Pacquiao that evening, with his jabs and looping right hands allowing him to score on points early on.