The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) has formalized its request to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

POC President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said they have already sent a formal letter to the IOC seeking for Pacquiao’s eligibility to compete through the “universality rule.”

“Sumulat na kami sa IOC bago kami pumunta dito sa Pilipinas,” said Tolentino, who arrived Sunday night, Oct. 8, from Hangzhou, China after the country’s participation in the 19^th Asian Games.

“Request and appeal na iyon na i-reconsider siya sa universality rule,” he added.

A total of nine universality places – five for women and four for men – are made available for boxing. National Olympic Committees are invited to submit their requests between Oct. 1 until Jan. 15 next year.

The confirmation of universality places will take place on June 7, 2024.

“Sikuhan kayo ng 120 countries. Dadaan yansa mahabang process. Tingnan natin,” said Tolentino.

Tolentino said they prefer Pacquiao to go through the universality route because of the age limit of 19 to 40 years old in the Olympic qualifiers.

Pacquiao will turn 45 in December.

“Yung boxing accolades niya will be good for boxing in the Paris Olympics. Magiging blockbuster yun,” Tolentino said.

Last August, Tolentino disclosed that Pacquiao’s camp has reached out to him declaring the former eight-division world champion’s intention to compete in Paris.

Professional boxers have been allowed to compete at the Olympics and in the 2020 Tokyo edition, 43 of the 186 competitors were professionals including middleweight bronze medalist Eumir Marcial and Armenia’s Arman Darchinyan.

Pacquiao, who currently weighs 66kgs, has to choose between the 63.5kg or the 71kg division for the Paris program.

In the history of the Olympics, eight of the 12 Filipino medalists were boxers including Marcial and 2020 Tokyo silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam.