Aspiring boxers who are salivating a dream fight against eight-weight titleholder Manny Pacquiao are celebrating after trainer Freddie Roach announced Pacquiao’s plan to go down to the junior welterweight limit of 140 pounds,
Roach, who has trained Pacquiao for over a decade said he wants Pacquiao to leave the welterweight limit of 147 and face challengers in the junior welterweight limit of 140 pounds where the likes of Danny Garcia, Adrien Broner, Lucas Mattysse, Lamont Peterson and Jessie Vargas are waiting. ?I just think it?s much better for Manny to fight at 140. He?s much more productive at that weight. It?s much more natural for him to fight at that weight,? Roach said ?He?s not a 147-pounder, he only forced himself to be a 147-pounder because that?s where the money was but I think he?s going to be a much more effective fighter at 140. I don?t care who is there, we?ll beat them all,? he added. But Pacquiao’s downswing to 140 could put his impending showdown with Floyd Mayweather in jeopardy as the unbeaten American is doing very well in the 147 limit and he may no longer be comfortable at 140. Pacquiao will have a wide choice of potential opponents in the junior welterweight (140 pounds) limit including the ones listed above. Danny Garcia, who is the Ring’s 140 pounds titleholder, has already shown interest in facing Pacquiao at 140 but there is a slim chance of getting the fight done as Garcia is fighting under Al Haymon’s umbrella. The proposed Pacquiao-Garcia fight may not sound interesting to Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao. Haymon is aligned with Pacquiao’s potential foe Floyd Mayweather, making it a bit difficult to even talk about the fight in the wake of the Mayweather-Arum continuing business rivalry. ?I like that fight,? Roach said. But he was quick to say that Haymon will not allow his fighters to face Pacquiao in the ring. ?Al Haymon will not fight Manny Pacquiao, guarantee that. Because they?re scared, all of them. His lead guy all the way down. It?s not going to happen. All of the excuses about they don?t like Bob Arum; it?s just excuses.
Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao is a Filipino professional boxer, part-time actor and recording artist. Photo by DRal10 Like this image Down the line, Pacquiao can choose from either Broner or Vargas. Then again, Broner is allied with Mayweather and the usual roadblocks will likely surface. That leaves Pacquiao taking on Vargas, who is facing Antonio de Marco in the Pacquiao-Algieri undercard on Nov. 22 in Macau, China. For sure, Arum will be pleased to arrange the potential Pacquiao-Vargas fight but only if Vargas wins over de Marco in their upcoming fight. Vargas is Pacquiao’s stablemate at Arum’s Top Rank Promotions. Most if not all the fighters in the 140 light welterweight limit are looking forward to share the spotlight with Pacquiao, who is a known PPV attration. They know that a clash with Pacquiao is worth at least a million and a short route to fame.and fortune.
