FILE PHOTO: USA Boxing - Manny Pacquiao & Jessie Vargas - Head-to-Head Press Conference - Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills - 8/9/16 Manny Pacquiao during the press conference. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
(Reuters) - Manny Pacquiao, an adored figure in the Philippines and one of the most decorated boxers in history, has been elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025, it was announced on Thursday.
Pacquiao, whose fast footwork and blistering speed of punches made him one of the top offensive fighters in the sport's history, won world championships in a record eight weight divisions from flyweight to super welterweight.
The Filipino southpaw retired from boxing in 2021 after a 72-fight career during which he had 62 wins, eight losses and two draws.
A former Filipino senator who ran for President in 2022, Pacquiao also made a name for himself outside the ring as a politician, philanthropist, lawmaker and singer.
He became the first Filipino athlete to appear on a postage stamp and was featured in Time magazine's list of the world's 100 most influential people in 2009.
"I am so happy that I have been selected to enter the International Boxing Hall of Fame. This certainly is a wonderful Christmas gift," Pacquiao, 45, said in statement on the Hall of Fame's website.
"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."
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto, editing by Ed Osmond)
