Philippines, 19 Mar 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


FANS WISH PACQUIAO HAPPY EXIT


PhilBoxing.com




(MAN WITH GOLDEN HEART: American William ?Bill? Austin will receive the distinguished Golden Cross Award from the University of Santo Tomas tomorrow, Nov.27, for immense contribution to humanity. Austin, founder of the Starkey Foundation, has been donating 10,000 hearing aids annually to needy Filipinos for the last five years. Austin spreads goodwill in other parts of the world.)

**

IT was surprising how majority of Filipino boxing fans did not show enough interest about the monumental world middleweight boxing championship in Las Vegas, Nevada over the weekend. Many Pinoy boxing diehards were either not too interested or, if ever aware, did not go out of their way to follow the delayed telecast of the big bout on Sunday.

Of the few who managed to watch the colorful confrontation between Canelo Alvarez and Miguel Cotto, their immediate reaction was to compare the young Mexican superstar to our own Manny Pacquiao. The popular local view: Alvarez cannot compare to Pacquiao. There was the feeling that Alvarez, big and strong, but slow and limited, would?ve been easily beaten by Pacquiao, who knocked out Cotto in 2009.

**

Regarding Pacquiao?s scheduled final bout on April 9, the side-street feel among the mingling masa was that the eight-division world title winner should take extra caution in naming his next opponent.

There are three boxers, namely one-time world title winner Amir Khan, reigning WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley, unbeaten world light welterweight king Terence Crawford, for Pacquiao to choose from.

A report earlier this week said Pacquiao, back from an extended foreign tour, should be able to name his next foe within the week; although a previous report by Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times said the farewell foe for the Filipino boxing superhero might not be announced until next January.

**

Anyway, a random poll by this reporter bared widespread apprehension over the reported preference by trainer Freddie Roach for Crawford (27-0, 19 KOs) as Pacquiao?s final foe before he calls it a career.

For the record, Roach had initially stated that Crawford, fresh from the successful defense of his world 140lbs. crown, could prove too ?strong and hungry? for Pacquiao.

At the time of the Roach warning, it was Khan, a former Pacquiao stablemate under Roach, who appeared ahead in the race to land a rich bout against Pacquiao.

**

Roach however had a change of mood and later decided to recommend Crawford as Pacquiao?s farewell opponent.
Roach was quoted as saying, ?Crawford could fight a little bit more, while Khan could run a little bit more.?

Khan continued to claim he had the better of Pacquiao during training in Baguio City years back.

Roach maintained it was actually the other way around.

**

Meanwhile, it was not clear if Crawford, viewed as a dangerous opponent, has jumped ahead of Khan in the bid to square off with Pacquiao.

Out in the busy wet market sports hub regularly visited by this reporter, there was the gut feel Crawford could indeed cause Pacquiao some trouble, if not total unhappiness.

Not to say a fight with Khan would be trouble-free. But there were knowlegdeable fans who also believe it would be wiser for Pacquiao to retire ahead, instead of take a big risk against the younger, strong, tigerish, crafty Crawford.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Recah Trinidad.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • DAZN and Top Rank announce a landmark multi-year media rights deal bringing elite events and a storied archive to DAZN users worldwide
    , Thu, 19 Mar 2026
  • Sampson Boxing Signs Top Junior Lightweight Contender Charly Suarez to a Promotional Contract
    , Thu, 19 Mar 2026
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 17 MARCH 2026: Collazo Stops Haro; Fundora KO Ruiz; Barboza Outpoints Sims; Cacace UD Dickens
    By Eric Armit, , Wed, 18 Mar 2026
  • Tapales Near Peak Form Ahead of April 3 Tokyo Showdown with Oguni
    , Wed, 18 Mar 2026
  • MILLER AND PERO CLASH IN HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN IN LAS VEGAS ON APRIL 25
    , Wed, 18 Mar 2026
  • Middleweight Championship Battle Between (C) Khamzat Chimaev and (#3) Sean Strickland Headlines UFC® 328 at Prudential Center Live on Paramount+
    , Wed, 18 Mar 2026
  • Sampson Lewkowicz & TM Boxing Sign Undefeated Mexican Prospect José Ángel Guerrero to Co-Promotional Deal
    , Wed, 18 Mar 2026
  • 12-Time World Champion & Hall of Famer James Toney Confirmed for Ninth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Cinco De Mayo Weekend, Saturday May 2, in Las Vegas
    , Wed, 18 Mar 2026
  • Five stitches for Donaire’s cut
    By Joaquin Henson, , Tue, 17 Mar 2026
  • Roberto Gomez Training Camp Notes
    , Tue, 17 Mar 2026
  • Esneth Domingo Trains at the Wildcard Gym in Los Angeles Ahead of His US Debut
    , Tue, 17 Mar 2026
  • Tatay Digong Birthday Run on March 28
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 17 Mar 2026
  • 12-0 prospect Marco Romero to headline This Friday in Independence, Missouri
    , Tue, 17 Mar 2026
  • 700 athletes on March 21-22 at UM
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 17 Mar 2026
  • United States Earns Four Gold Medals on Final Day of 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup
    , Mon, 16 Mar 2026
  • Mexico wins 2 bronze medals at World Boxing Futures Cup in Bangkok
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Mon, 16 Mar 2026
  • Arnold Barboza Jr. Shines in Welterweight Debut, Defeats Kenneth Sims Jr. to Claim Wbo Global Welterweight Title
    , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • WBC top contender Canoy returns to Davao with Unanimous Decision Victory
    , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • John Randall Peralta: The Future of the Philippine Chess
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • Alvin “Felemon” Dologuin Claims Win in Brico Santig’s Show in Thailand (PHOTOS)
    , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • Donaire's Yokohama Showdown: Can our Filipino Flash Outshine the Rising Sun? (WEIGH-IN PHOTOS)
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team Wins Five of Eight Bouts on Day Six
    , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander surpasses Chamberlain's record of 127 consecutive NBA games with 20 points or more
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 15 Mar 2026
  • World-Ranked Light Heavyweight Najee Lopez Stops Mexican Terminator Manuel Gallego in Eight Classic Rounds in Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’
    , Sat, 14 Mar 2026
  • Weigh-in from Highland Boxing in Bangkok, Thailand; Dologuin in Action (WEIGH-IN PHOTOS)
    , Sat, 14 Mar 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.