Philippines, 16 Sep 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Who's next for Pacquiao?


PhilBoxing.com




Exactly a week ago last Sunday in the Malaysian Capital City of Kuala Lumpur, Manny Pacquiao floored World Boxing Association welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse thrice on the way to a seventh round stoppage and gifted himself a piece of the 147-pound jewel.

That was the Filipino fighting senator?s first inside the distance win in nine years since technically knocking out Miguel Cotto in 12 rounds in 2009 in the process crowning himself the welterweight kingpin for the first time.

That, too, signalled his return to the elite group of big-timers and the possibility of fighting for big-time money denied him by a streak of losses that relegated him, momentarily, to the list of has been fighting for mere crumbs.

"I'm still here," Pacquiao declared minutes after denying the Argentine of his crown only six months after winning it. "Sometimes you just need to rest and get it back, and that's what I did. I?m back."

?The journey continues,? one of the placards displayed during the post-fight press conference said. The victory was his 60th in 69 fights of his 23-year professional career. And his 39th via stoppage, proof that Manny still has a lot left in his tank.

That no one ever doubted the would-be outcome surfaced weeks or even months before the KL sleeper as to who the Filipino eight-division belt-owner will be facing next.

Pacquiao has yet to reveal his preference for his next opponent after disposing off Matthysse, but his body language as of late seems to point to Briton Amir Khan as tune up for bigger titleholders.

Even his Australian strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune has sounded interested in seeing the Pacman square off with Khan, for the several years has been craving to meet the three-time Fighter of the Year, whom he used to spar.

Khan?s huge following in the boxing-crazy United Kingdom and big-moneyed Middle East countries were reasons Fortune advanced in choosing Khan as his pupil?s next dancing partner, preferably in London.

This bout is dependent on the outcome of Khan?s coming fight on September 8.

Fights against Keith Thurman, who holds the WBA 147-pound title, IBF champion Errol Spence Jr or WBO king Terence Crawford have also been mentioned as potential big pay days for Pacquiao even if there?s the possibility of him losing.

Crawford (33-0, 24 KOs), also a Top Rank fighter, looks the easiest for the Filipino legend to make although the biggest fight for Pacquiao now is against Vasyl Lomachenko, boxing's pound-for-pound No. 1.

Loma, who is scheduled to fight in November or December, though needs to be convinced to step up from lightweight (135-pound) to catchweight for him to fight the 147-pounder Pacquiao.

Pacquiao has previously talked of fighting Ukraine's Lomachenko (11-1, 9 KOs), who is also promoted by Top Rank.

A rematch with Jessie Vargas, whom Pacquiao out-pointed two years ago, is possible, too, but the American is next behind Pacquiao in the WBA rankings and at No. 3 with all four world governing bodies.

A farewell fight in the Philippines, where Pacquiao last fought 12 years ago, against a benign opponent would be a fitting farewell for a boxing legend and spare him from defeat against a younger opponent.

But that would have to come later. Retirement is far from the Pambansang Kamao?s mind at this time.

Following his disappointing performance against Pacquio, Matthysse, at 35, may never fight for major title again and, therefore, is out of the picture for a rematch.

The same goes to Australian Jeff Horn, who beat Pacquiao in a highly questionable unanimous decision last year in his own turf Brisbane.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Kingsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh To headline historic “Legacy Nights” Inaugural Pro Boxing event in El Salvador
    , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • Smarts over power
    By Joaquin Henson, , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • HALL OF FAME FLIES FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF FOR TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION RICKY HATTON
    , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • Kazakhstan tops the medal table at the inaugural World Boxing Championships 2025 thanks to victory in the final bout of the competition
    , Tue, 16 Sep 2025
  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 13: JOE FRAZIER’S HUMBLE BEGINNINGS AS AN AMATEUR FIGHTER
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • A New King, A New Challenger: Turki Alalshikh Proposes Crawford-Benavidez While Canelo Alvarez Faces Defeat with Humility
    By Dong Secuya, , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • Highly Questionable Title Eliminator
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • Yoseline Perez Earns Silver Medal at Inaugural World Boxing Championships
    , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • 21-year-old Filipino wins at Germany rapid chess tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • Nagoya Nightmare: Naoya Inoue Notches One-Sided Decision over Murodjon Akhmadaliev
    , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • Inoue’s Philippine Connection: Which Pinoy Super Bantamweight Could Challenge “The Monster?”
    By Carlos Costa, , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • Yoseline Perez Advances to the Finals at the World Boxing Championships Perez Set to Face Chinese Taipei’s Hsiao-Wen Huang for 54-Kilogram World Title
    , Mon, 15 Sep 2025
  • Canelo Gets Outboxed, Loses Undisputed Title to Crawford
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • A Masterpiece of Boxing: Terence Crawford Dethrones Canelo Alvarez in Historic Showdown
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • LEWIS CROCKER IS CROWNED THE NEW IBF WORLD WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION
    , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Battle of Undefeated: Callum Walsh Vanquishes Fernando Vargas Jr.
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Undercard Inferno: Mbilli and Martinez Deliver a Super Middleweight War Ending in a Thrilling Draw
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Crawford to defy odds?
    By Joaquin Henson, , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Clash of Titans: The Final Predictions for Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Weigh-In Results: Naoya Inoue vs. Murodjon Akhmadaliev
    , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Inoue and Akhmadaliev Make Weight for Sunday's Battle, Watch it LIVE on Facebook!
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • IIEE North Cotabato and Metro Central are the Golden Champion on 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Chess
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 14 Sep 2025
  • Sydney Sy Tancontian is Female Awardee of Sports Hero of the Year
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford: Size Matters
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • BOOTS TALKS SPARRING WITH CANELO IN ‘DAY IN THE LIFE’
    , Sat, 13 Sep 2025




  •  



     
    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
    © 2025 philboxing.com.