BEAVERTON, Ore. - Manny Pacquiao's comments disparaging gays have cost him his contract with apparel giant Nike.

The company issued a release Wednesday saying it has dropped the Filipino boxer after he was quoted as saying gay people "are worse than animals."

Nike called Pacquiao's comments "abhorrent" and said the company strongly opposes discrimination of any kind and has long stood up for the fights of gays.

Pacquiao, who meets Timothy Bradley on April 9 in what could be his last fight, apologized Tuesday for the remarks made a day earlier. In them, Pacquiao said it was just common sense that animals are not gay.

Pacquiao is running for the Senate in the Philippines.