This is one punch Manny Pacquiao would like to have back.
Nike has ended its endorsement deal with Pacquiao on Wednesday after he made derogatory comments about same-sex couples, saying people who engage in homosexual acts are “worse than animals.” The boxing champ had been affiliated with the apparel giant for more than eight years.
“We find Manny Pacquiao’s comments abhorrent,” the company said in a statement. “Nike strongly opposes discrimination of any kind and has a long history of supporting and standing up for the rights of the LGBT community.”
Pacquiao said on a Filipino television station earlier this week: “Have you seen any animal having male-to-male or female-to-female relations? If you have male-to-male or female-to-female [relationships], then people are worse than animals.”
A short time later, Pacquiao apologized on Twitter for causing offense, while referring to the Bible and his Christian faith.
But it still cost him his deal with Nike, which had designed a special logo for him. The Filipino fighter, who lost last year’s megabout against Floyd Mayweather Jr., is expected to retired after facing Timothy Bradley on April 9.
He is the latest star athlete to have his endorsement deal with Nike terminated at the time of a controversy, joining cyclist Lance Armstrong (doping), running back Ray Rice (domestic abuse), running back Adrian Peterson (child abuse) and sprinter Oscar Pistorius (murder).