MANILA (UPDATED) -- Filipino boxing legend and former Senator Manny Pacquiao on Monday reiterated his intent to compete for the Philippines in the Paris Olympics next year.

This comes after the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) confirmed that they have already reached out to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding the eligibility of the eight-division world champion.

"I am grateful to the Philippine Olympic Committee, under the leadership of Abraham Tolentino, for making a recommendation to the IOC to process my eligibility to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games," Pacquiao said in a statement.

• POC formalizes request for Pacquiao's Olympic bid

It was in late August that the POC first revealed that Pacquiao reached out to them about possibly competing in the Paris Games. A month later, Pacquiao told reporters that he was "excited" about it, as it has been his dream to represent the Philippines in the Olympics since he was a teenager.

In a press conference on Sunday evening, Tolentino said that they have already written to the IOC about Pacquiao's eligibility, with the hope that he can qualify via the universality rule.

There are nine universality slots in boxing -- five for women and four for men. This is the POC's preferred path for Pacquiao, who at 44 years old is no longer eligible to compete in the Olympic qualifiers which carries a 40-year-old age limit.

"I believe that age is not a barrier to fulfill our dreams," said Pacquiao. "A clear heart and mind always finds its way to realize our dreams. I believe it is not too late to fulfill my dream of bringing home a boxing gold medal from the Olympics for the Philippines."

• Pacquiao seeks chance to fight in Paris Olympics, POC confirms
• Pacquiao reiterates desire to join Paris Olympics

Pacquiao, the winner of multiple world titles, has never competed at the Olympics. He insisted he was "not too old" to take on younger boxers, saying he felt like he was "30 years old or 28 years old".

"It's the secret of Manny Pacquiao," he told AFP.

Pacquiao said he planned to fight in two exhibition matches in Japan and Thailand in the coming months.

In their letter to the IOC, Tolentino stressed that Pacquiao's star power will be "a shot in the arm" for boxing in the Olympics.

"Siguradong magiging blockbuster 'yun," said Tolentino, who was speaking during a press conference with medalists from the recently concluded 19th Asian Games.

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For his part, Marcus Manalo, Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines secretary general, hope that the age limit will be waived in the case of Pacquiao.

"Baka pwedeng i-challenge ang age limit," he said. "Kasi itong 44-year-old na ito eh much more conditioned sa mga 30-year-old na nagcocompete."

If he is allowed to compete, Pacquiao's presence in the national boxing team will be a huge boost to other boxers, said Manalo.

"If it gets approved that would be extremely beneficial for us. Presence palang ni Sen. Pacquiao wil be a big boost to the team, bukod pa yan sa medal chances," he said. "It will be good for the sport, I hope the IOC considers that that you have an 8-division world champion who still wants to compete at the Olympics."

Pacquiao currently weighs 66 kgs and has to choose between 63.50 kgs or 71 kgs that are on the Paris boxing program.

Professional boxers are allowed to compete in the Olympics. In the Tokyo Games in 2021, 43 of the 186 competitors were professionals, including middleweight bronze medalist Eumir Felix Marcial, who beat fellow professional, Armenia’s Arman Darchinyan, in the quarterfinals.

So far, Marcial is the only Filipino boxer who has qualified for the Paris Games, following his silver medal effort in the Asiad in Hangzhou, China.

-- With reports from Dennis Gasgonia and Karl Cedrick Basco, ABS-CBN News, and Agence France-Presse.

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