Pacquiao exploring options to box at Paris Olympics for Philippines

Manny Pacquiao hopes to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympics – and end his boxing career once and for all by winning a gold medal for the Philippines at the age of 45.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino confirmed the former eight-division world champion’s plan in a statement.

Tolentino said he is now exploring qualification options with the boxing icon’s team but admitted the Asian Games in Hangzhou is not an option.

The 19th Asiad, which will take place from September 23 to October 8, will also serve as an Olympic qualifier, but has an age limit of 40 in all competitions.

“Senator Pacquiao’s camp reached out saying our Filipino ring idol wants to fight in Paris,” Tolentino said.

“But the senator can no longer vie for qualification in the Asian Games in Hangzhou next month.”

Nine places for the boxing competition – five for women, and four for men – will also be allotted through the Universality Rule, an International Olympic Committee policy designed to help ensure participation for athletes from countries that would have little or no representation through normal qualification channels.

The Philippines currently only has one athlete – pole vaulter EJ Obiena – who has qualified for Paris.

Pacquiao would be likely to opt for either the 63.5kg or 71kg weight category in his bid to qualify.

The Philippines’ Association of Boxing Alliances chairman Ricky Vargas is open to helping Pacquiao qualify, according to Tolentino.

Professional boxers are allowed to compete at the Olympics – 43 out of the 186 total competitors in Tokyo were pros – but the Games has traditionally unearthed future stars from the amateur ranks, such as Floyd Mayweather, Lennox Lewis, Amir Khan and Anthony Joshua.

Pacquiao did not opt for that route, but he was the flag-bearer for the Philippines’ delegation at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

He initially retired from professional boxing in 2021 following a loss to Yordenis Ugas, embarking on a failed bid for president in the Philippines after serving as a senator in the government from 2016 to 2022.

Pacquiao returned to the ring for an exhibition bout in 2022, and teased a rematch with his great rival Mayweather, whom he lost to in the money-spinning “Fight of the Century” via a decision in 2015.