PARIS (AFP) - Manny Pacquiao has refused to rule out a rematch with WBA champion Yordenis Ugas following his upset defeat to the Cuban last weekend, which nudged the Filipino boxing star ever closer to retirement.
Pacquiao, 42, told The Athletic website that he may consider fighting Ugas again in January following his unanimous decision loss to the 35-year-old in Las Vegas on Saturday.
“Yes, I can come back in January. I will see about it,” Pacquiao told the website. “I know I can rematch him if I want. I’ll just need to tell (promoter) Al Haymon. That would be no problem.”
Ugas said in the aftermath of his win on Saturday, where he clinically picked off Pacquiao from long range to score a deserved victory, that he would be willing to offer the eight-division world champion a rematch.
Pacquiao -- who is mulling a bid for the presidency of the Philippines -- said on Saturday he might not fight again after the eighth loss of his glittering 26-year professional career.
However, he told The Athletic he could be tempted by a second Ugas fight, admitting he was still baffled by the nature of last weekend’s loss.