Manny Pacquiao will let the people of the Philippines decide whether he should pursue the country’s first ever Olympic gold medal.
The boxer could come out of retirement to compete in Rio, with this year’s games being the first to allow professional boxers to take part.
But the 37-year-old, who hung up his gloves after defeating Timothy Bradley in April, needs the approval of his countrymen, having this week been elected to the Philippines’ Senate.
The deadline for Olympic competition is May 27, and Pacquiao could potentially take part in a qualifying bout in June.
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“I need to ask if the Filipino people will allow me to participate in the Olympics,” he told reporters following his election to the Senate, Rappler reports.
“People will say that this person was just elected and in August, he wants to compete in the Olympics.”
Pacquiao ended his career with a 58-6-2 record, including 38 knockouts.
The next Olympic Games qualifying tournament takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan on June 7.
