It came, while not necessarily much of a surprise but enough still to take away the breath, in a carefully crafted 14-minute video on social media.
The accompanying title was short and simple, running counter to one of the most unforgettable and fulfilling stories in boxing history, its conclusion confirmed on a hitherto normal Wednesday in late September.
“Goodbye boxing” announced Manny Pacquiao, stood apparently in his impressive Manila residence far removed from his impoverished beginning on the island of Mindanao, his voice seeming to creak with emotion as the weight of his decision no doubt began to hit home.
At three months shy of his 43rd birthday, the Filipino had called time on a truly extraordinary professional career. Spanning 26 years and extending to 72 fights, it comprises titles in an unparalleled eight different weight classes, placing Pacquiao on a pedestal as the only man to hold championship belts in four separate decades. In all, his resume swells with 12 world titles scattered among his 62 wins.
For a while from the mid-2000s, Pacquiao seemed to carry a sport on the ropes, this diminutive-but-dynamite pugilist somehow filling the heavyweight-sized void with titanic tussle after titanic tussle. Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto and the rest.
The 2008 victory against De La Hoya was transformative, proclaiming Pacquiao as a genuine superstar; the quartet of clashes with Marquez tallied to a decidedly thrilling rivalry for the ages. The Ring magazine “knockout of the year” against Ricky Hatton, meanwhile, remains as stunning and staggering as it did when detonated at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in 2009.
Of course, there was the "Fight of the Century" with foe Floyd Mayweather, coming years too late in 2015 but still dominating the sporting discourse. Blocking out everything else, it bloomed into a must-see event, elevated beyond a boxing bout between two greats.
When all was said and done, after Mayweather coasted to a points win across a wholly disappointing spectacle, the pay-per-view buys were estimated to total at 4.6 million. No other bout in combat sports has ever come close. In its entirety, Pacquiao's career is understood to have generated more than 20 million buys.
Unlike Mayweather, Pacquiao is considered to have never shirked a challenge: he has gone up against a multitude of former or current world champions, his record within that elite bracket standing at 25-7-2, with 11 knockouts.
It is not an exaggeration to claim boxing will never again witness a champion at 108 pounds capture titles all the way to 154, from flyweight through to light middleweight. What proved to be Pacquiao's final victory – the split-decision win in 2019 against the previously unbeaten Keith Thurman – lifted a former street vendor to perch as the oldest welterweight champion of all time. Pacquiao was deep into his 41st year. That, though, will reside as his final standout performance.
Last month’s decision loss to Yordenis Ugas suggested Pacquiao was in danger of falling into that desperate and damaging trap that takes hold of too many in his game, of going on for too long. The speed appeared slowed; the movement stymied.
On Wednesday, Pacquiao said he was “at peace” with “the hardest decision I’ve ever made”, which is welcome. Time will tell if he sticks steadfast to that commitment, when retirement pinches and the absence of life at the very apex of competitive sport gnaws, especially in this emerging era of celebrity boxing.
At least a run for the Philippines presidency, the next plot in politics for a sitting long-time senator, should occupy the mind, even if creditable doubts exist regarding Pacquiao’s suitability to the highest office in his homeland. That represents the next chapter in this remarkable, veritable rags-to-riches tale. Patently, it should ultimately constitute his greatest legacy.
Yet, for now, for the millions who followed wide-eyed Pacquiao's rise and his reign, his retirement is yet another reminder that no one can rail against their own mortality for ever.
But, then, that feels part of his enduring relatability. Pacquiao may have risen way above the privation that pockmarked his early life and undeniably shaped his present, but he was throughout a people's champion, a transcendent star whose transgressions - tangles with the IRS, extra-marital affairs - attached also a basic human element to this otherworldly talent. His philanthropy, particularly in the Philippines, is well documented.
On Wednesday, in that 14-minute entrant on social media, Pacquiao relayed that, "Even me, I'm amazed at what I have done", and few would not share that sentiment.
"Chase your dreams, work hard, and watch what happens," he said. Pacquiao knows better than most, for his career provided riveting viewing indeed.
More on Quran memorisation:
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE jiu-jitsu squad
Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)
Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh1,050,000
On sale: now
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Afghanistan fixtures
- v Australia, today
- v Sri Lanka, Tuesday
- v New Zealand, Saturday,
- v South Africa, June 15
- v England, June 18
- v India, June 22
- v Bangladesh, June 24
- v Pakistan, June 29
- v West Indies, July 4
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
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The Breadwinner
Director: Nora Twomey
Starring: Saara Chaudry, Soma Chhaya, Laara Sadiq
Three stars
Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)
Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)
PRISCILLA
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