Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is reluctant to make the step up to middleweight and take on Gennady Golovkin.
The Filipino fighter’s former coach, and Hall of Fame trainer, Freddie Roach mentioned earlier this year that Pacquiao may move up in weight in pursuit of more belts.
And despite a titantic clash with pound-for-pound king Golovkin having been touted, Pacquiao is now unwilling to fight about the 147lb welterweight limit.
Pacquiao does, however, appear willing to embrace a showdown with IBF middleweight champion Golovkin – but only if both fighters were to compromise.
He told the Manila Times: ‘As long as it is 147lbs, I am OK with that.
‘But if it’s above that, it’s too big for me.’
Golovkin boasts a formidable record in the ring, having recorded 35 KOs, while his potential opponent Pacquiao holds a 62-7-2 record.
The Kazakhstani puncher weighed in at 159.2lbs for his last clash in October 2019 with Sergiy Derevyanchenko.
Pacquiao, meanwhile, weighed in at 146.5lbs before defeating Keith Thurman, who had been unbeaten until their encounter, last July.
When questioned whether he would scrap at super-welterweight to guarantee a bout with Golovkin, Pacquiao was hesitant.
‘Pacman’ also revealed that no discussions have taken place to broker the hotly-anticipated fight.
‘154lbs? It depends, I guess,’ he added.
‘But there’s no negotiation [between the camps].’
Pacquiao fought Antonio Margarito for the WBC super junior middleweight title almost a decade ago and mauled his opponent to clinch the belt at a catch-weight of 150lbs.
But the veteran fighter has never returned to a weight above 147lbs since despite battering Margarito from pillar to post.
