EMANUEL STEWARD, who helped transform Thomas Hearns into one of the most feared fighter of his era, has given Manny Pacquiao an expiration date.
A Hall of Fame trainer and top boxing analyst for HBO, Steward told Michael Marley of the fast-rising website boxingconfidential that the Filipino southpaw would only be good until the next two years and “I give him 24 months before the intensity starts fading for him.”
Steward, who founded the legendary Kronk Boxing Club of Detroit, opined that Pacquiao’s dazzling yet ultra-aggressive style has a short shelf life.
“He is so incredibly exciting. He is going to make a lot of money, no doubt about that. He is always exciting and he will leave his legacy in the ring. He is making his mark, But it’s his face-first style that will shorten his boxing career,” said Steward.
“That type of fighter, well, they seldom go past age 30. That type of guy does not age well,” said Steward, whose gym was among the top producers of bigtime beakbusters in the 1980s and 1990s.
Still, Steward remains an ardent admirer of Pacquiao.
“Look, I’m a fight fan too. I love watching this guy go to war but eventually you pay a price for that. With Manny, every round of every fight is a war. And that makes for a short-term career. But I truly love watching him and announcing his fights. I just can’t see him being around very long.”
Pacquiao, who celebrates his twelfth year as a professional on Jan. 22, holds a sterling 43-3-2 win-loss-draw card with 34 knockouts.
