Pacquiao must retire, say greats

Manny Pacquiao’s trainer advised the Filipino legend to quit boxing on Monday after his sensational defeat to unheralded Australian Jeff Horn.

While controversy raged over the scoring of Sunday’s World Boxing Organization welterweight title bout in Brisbane, after all three judges awarded it to unbeaten Horn, there were doubts whether 38-year-old Pacquiao would return for a possible rematch.

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach said he would consider advising Pacquiao to retire after a glittering 22-year professional career in which he won world titles at an unprecedented eight weight divisions.

“I’m going to talk to Manny about maybe calling it a day, maybe this is it,” Roach said.

Given no chance by most observers, the 29-year-old Horn’s ultra-aggressive style rocked Pacquiao, with the three judges scoring the fight 117-111, 115-113 and 115-113 to the Australian before 51,000 fans at Suncorp Stadium.

Pacquiao, (59-7-2) who insisted on a Brisbane rematch as a clause in his contract for the fight, declared however that he would “absolutely” return for a rematch.

“We have a clause for a rematch. No problem,” Pacquiao said in the ring after the judges’ decision.

But Australian boxing great and three-time world champion Jeff Fenech also called for Pacquiao, who retired briefly last year, to hang up his gloves for good this time.

“If they let Manny fight again, that’s stupid,” Fenech said.

“He should go relax and enjoy the money he has made. He’s got nothing to prove. Retire.”