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Manny Pacquiao Elected to International Boxing Hall of Fame's Class of 2025

Andrew Peters

Manny Pacquiao was one of three boxers elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on Thursday.

Along with the legendary boxer, Michael Nunn and Vinny Paz were voted into the Hall of Fame for the class of 2025, per ESPN's Mike Coppinger.

Pacquiao, who announced his retirement from boxing in 2021, was unsurprisingly voted into the Hall of Fame as a first-ballot member.

Pacquiao called being elected into the Hall of Fame "a wonderful Christmas gift" and thanked those who helped him throughout his career.

"I am so happy that I have been selected to enter the International Boxing Hall of Fame. This certainly is a wonderful Christmas gift," he said, per Boxing Scene's Tris Dixon. "Throughout my career, as a professional fighter and a public servant, it has been my goal to bring honor to my country, The Philippines, and my fellow Filipinos around the world. Today, I am humbled knowing that in June, I will receive boxing's highest honor, joining our national hero, Flash Elorde, as well as my trainer and friend Freddie Roach. I am very grateful to those who voted for me, and I look forward to celebrating with family, friends, and fans at Induction Weekend in Canastota, New York."

Pacquiao ended his professional boxing career with a record of 62-8-2. He took down 22 world champions and won 15 consecutive world title fights at different weights between 2005 and 2011.

He last fought professionally in August of 2021 when he was 42 years old, losing to Yordenis Ugás.

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, praised the boxer for a tremendous career upon his election into the Hall of Fame, comparing him to the great Muhammed Ali.

"I opened my gym, Wild Card Boxing Club, in hopes that the next Muhammad Ali would walk through the door," Roach said, per Dixon. "Little did I know that in 2001, my Muhammad Ali would weigh 122 pounds. His name was Manny Pacquiao, and he was and still is the pride of the Philippines. For 20 years, after Manny and I first did mitts in the ring at Wild Card, we trained together for some of the biggest fights. As his collection of world championship belts grew, so did his presence in boxing and the world. Today's announcement that Manny will be a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame's class of 2025 makes me incredibly proud. As much as I loved working together with Manny all those years, I'm even happier sharing the same wall with him at the International Boxing Hall of Fame."

Along with the three men elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on Thursday, Sophie Mathis, Mary Jo Sanders and Yessica Chavez were voted in on the women's side.

The boxers will be inducted into the Hall of Fame June 5-8 in Canastota, New York.

   

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