Retirement looms for Manny Pacquiao as veteran fighter drops shock loss to Yordenis Ugas

• Yordenis Ugas beat Manny Pacquiao by decision Saturday in Las Vegas.
• It is a result that leaves Pacquiao, 42, contemplating his future in the sport of boxing.
• "Let me rest first, relax, and make a decision if I'll continue to fight or not," he said.

Retirement is looming for Manny Pacquiao as the veteran fighter dropped a shock loss to Yordenis Ugas on Saturday in front of 17,438 people at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas.

The judges scored the contest 116-112, 116-112, and 115-113 for Ugas, who was more efficient with his offense, boxed smarter with a reliable jab and counter right hand, and stayed disciplined to a winning strategy through 12 rounds.

In his prime, Pacquiao would likely have swarmed Ugas and perhaps even put him down on the canvas and out for good.

But those days are long gone as Pacquiao, now 42, is a fading force. And he even admitted after the fight, in front of reporters at a post-event press conference, that he is considering whether to ever return.

"In the future, you may not see Manny Pacquiao in the ring," he said. "Let me rest first, relax, and make a decision if I'll continue to fight or not."

He later added that fight fans, boxing media, and the combat sports industry may not see him again, but wanted to let everyone know he's "so happy" with what he accomplished.

And so he should be as the Filipino fighter, a combat athlete who won titles in eight separate weight classes, is a rare beast - a throwback to a bygone era where boxers built records on many fights, wins, and rivalries.

Pacquiao has done it all.

He won his first championship in 1998, became a pay-per-view sensation in America, and shared the ring with Érik Morales, Oscar de la Hoya, Juan Manuel Márquez, Miguel Cotto, and Floyd Mayweather, among many, many others.

Regardless of the result this weekend, he would always have gone down as one of boxing's most brilliant and celebrated fighters.

Even in his 40s, decades after he sold donuts for pennies on Manila's streets, he was still collecting wins against top-tier welterweights Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman.

But against Ugas, it was one wild ambition too far as age finally got the better of the Pacman.

Besides being seven years younger than Pacquiao, Ugas had physical advantages over his big-name opponent as he boxed with length, jabbed well, and showed precision in his punching.

Ugas landed 151 of his 405 total shots for a 37.3% accuracy rate, landing 59% of his power punches, for good measure.

It was a tremendous performance from a fighter who only got the call to box Pacquiao less than two weeks ago, as he replaced Errol Spence Jr. on late notice after the American withdrew with a retina injury.

"He's a great competitor, but I came in here to show that I am the champion of the WBA," Ugas told Fox Sports TV presenter Jordan Plant after his win was confirmed.

"We only had two weeks of training [for Pacquiao], but I listened to my corner and it all worked out."

With victory, Ugas advanced his pro boxing record to 27 wins (12 knockouts) against four defeats.