Pacquiao still wants that Olympic gold.
Eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao has been vocal about potentially joining the 2024 Paris Olympics, revealing it to be a nearly lifelong dream that he wants to fulfill.
Unfortunately, the Pacman is already 44—and will be 45 when the 2024 Paris Olympics gets underway.
But judging by Pacquiao’s most recent training photos, which he posted on his Instagram, the legendary southpaw from Saranggani might just have some gas left in his fighting tank. In his photos, Pacquiao can be seen hitting the mitts, shadowboxing, working on the speedball, and doing his legendary core routine—all with a palpable sense of intensity and vigor usually reserved for young fighters.
Take a look:
Of course, Pacquiao is not just any fighter. He is a champion many times over and is among the greatest to ever lace ‘em up. And he has always kept himself in incredible shape—so much so that MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons believes the Pacman is “ready to beat someone up” pretty much anytime.
Pacquiao, not coincidentally, is scheduled to fight Muay Thai icon Buakaw Banchamek in an exhibition boxing match in January. It is obviously not the official match the Pacman prefers, but it can certainly be a get-busy prelude to what will potentially be an intense buildup to the 2024 Paris Olympics should the stars align for the Filipino legend.
Then again, the chances of Pacquiao making it to the Olympiad via the Universality Places are slim. But that happening cannot be dismissed as impossible. Crazier things have happened in the world of sports, so the Pacman making it to Paris next year might still happen.
If so, Pacquiao looks ready.