On Tuesday, we looked at Manny Pacquiao’s return at 46 and asked whether boxing legends were putting themselves — and the sport — at risk by chasing one last hurrah. That post struck a chord, and it’s clear this issue runs deeper than just Pacquiao.
So let’s pick the gloves back up.
This isn’t a rant pulled out of nowhere. It’s a follow-up to a growing trend in boxing — one where older fighters keep coming back, and we just keep letting it happen.
The boxing age limit debate needs more than just headlines. It needs real solutions.
If Referees Must Retire — Why Not Fighters?
Let’s start with something that makes absolutely no sense.
Most commissions — including the British Boxing Board of Control — enforce retirement ages for referees. They get regular eyesight checks, fitness tests, and are eventually told to step down.
Fair. They’ve got a job to do.
But how is it that the person taking the punches doesn’t face the same scrutiny?
Pacquiao is still a legend. But he’s been out of the ring for years. He’s 46. And yet he can get sanctioned to fight a much younger, active pro with barely a raised eyebrow.
It’s nostalgia over logic. And it’s boxing at its most reckless.
Nonito Donaire: Warrior or Warning Sign?
Pacquiao’s not the only one. Nonito Donaire recently returned at 42, chasing another title shot. Now don’t get me wrong — Donaire’s a modern great. But when a featherweight in his forties is still facing killers ten years younger, it begs the question:
Are we protecting our legends, or are we just feeding them to the system?
And if Donaire gets badly hurt — what do we do then? Say “he knew the risks”? Or admit we’ve created a culture that encourages these risks in the first place?
Ricky Hatton: A Comeback That Might Have Saved His Life
Then there’s Ricky Hatton — a name that still makes the hairs on your neck stand up if you watched him in his prime.
Hatton’s 2012 comeback, after a three-year layoff, was bittersweet. He lost. But afterwards, he admitted something powerful: it probably saved his life. Retirement hit him hard — physically, mentally, emotionally. Returning gave him purpose. It made him face his demons.
And that’s the grey area. Not every comeback is about chasing belts. Some are about closure. And in Hatton’s case, it worked.
But that doesn’t mean every return should be licensed. Or that every fighter over 40 should get a green light without a second thought.
What About Time Out of the Ring?
This is where the boxing age limit debate gets interesting — because it’s not just about age. It’s about time away.
You can be 38, active, in camp all year — and still be elite.
Or you can be 33, retired for five years, piling on weight, and then try to make a comeback on short notice.
It’s the layoff that often does the damage.
So why don’t commissions factor that in? Imagine if:
- Fighters out for more than three years had to pass stricter medicals and psychological evaluations
- Proof of consistent training — not just pad work on Instagram — became mandatory
- Only injury-recovered fighters who stayed in shape could bypass the clock
That would separate the real comebacks from the reckless ones.
The Danger of Glorifying Legends
The problem is, every time a Tyson or Pacquiao gets licensed, it sets a precedent.
It tells ageing journeymen still fighting six-rounders on small hall cards that they can go on too.
And that’s where it turns ugly.
Those lads aren’t getting six-figure paydays. They’re not training in world-class camps. They’re getting sparked on short notice for pocket money — and no one’s going to throw a parade when it all goes wrong.
We’ve got to draw a line before the damage becomes permanent — for the sport and the people in it.
So… Should Boxing Set an Age Limit?
It’s complicated. Some fighters are still sharp at 38. Some are finished at 30. There’s no one-size-fits-all.
But there are things we can do:
- Mandatory annual medical reviews from age 35
- Full neuro and fitness checks from 40+
- Time-out clauses for anyone returning after long layoffs
- And most importantly: licensing with real scrutiny, not sentiment
Let’s stop pretending a comeback is always a feel-good story. Boxing isn’t a film. There’s no training montage to undo a decade of decline.
Have Your Say
Do you agree it’s time boxing took the boxing age limit debate seriously? Or is this part of what makes the sport so compelling?
Drop your thoughts in the comments, share this post, and visit CMBoxing.co.uk for more no-nonsense takes, tributes, and deep dives from inside the ropes.