Manny Pacquiao Admits Sentimental Reason Behind Desire to Compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics

(Photo : Ethan Miller/Getty Images) LAS VEGAS, NV - Manny Pacquiao celebrates his majority decision victory against Juan Manuel Marquez in the WBO world welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on November 12, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Manny Pacquiao, the only professional boxer to win world titles in eight different weight divisions, still has an unfulfilled goal within the sport.

The Filipino legend has shared that it has long been his dream to participate in the Olympics while representing his home country, and the Philippine Olympic Committee is now actively working to make his dream a reality.

The 44-year-old thanked the Philippine Olympic Committee for recommending to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to process his eligibility to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"I believe that it is not too late to fulfill my dream of bringing home a boxing gold medal from the Olympics for the Philippines," Pacquiao added.

Widely acclaimed as one of the greatest boxers of all time, Pacquiao will be 45 years old when the Olympic flame is lit in Paris next year.

Is it possible for Pacquiao to compete in Paris?

Professional boxers have been allowed to participate in the Olympics since 2016.

However, Pacquiao is ineligible to participate in qualifiers such as the recently concluded Asian Games, as well as through other conventional means because he exceeds the age limit set for those events, which is 40 years old.

Hence, his potential route to the Olympics is through the universality places rule given to countries that face challenges in securing slots through regular qualification processes.

A total of nine Universality Places will be allocated, with five designated for women while four will be reserved for men.