How big would it be if in the near future Top Rank were to announce that 8 division world champion Manny Pacquiao is going to take it to the next challenge, in the octagon? There have been quite a few boxers that have tried their hand at mixed martial arts, but none as famous and as dangerous as Manny Pacquiao.
James “Lights Out” Toney gave it a shot and was thoroughly defeated by the legendary Randy Couture. KJ Noons the StrikeForce brawler and StrikeForce welterweight champ Nick Diaz both have some experience in boxing, so it’s not unheard of for guys to cross-over into the opposite sport.
An announcement that the 8 division world champion Manny Pacquiao was planning on taking it to the cage would certainly send shock-waves throughout both MMA and the boxing world.
So how would Manny Pacquiao do? Firstly, I truly believe that if Manny were going to do it, he wouldn’t do it the right way. He would probably keep Freddie Roach around for his striking, and he would probably bring in say a GSP or a BJ Penn type guy to work with him on the ground. Manny’s conditioning would never be in question, so he would never lose a fight in the octagon due to not being in shape.
Pacquiao would more than likely, just like he does in boxing, train like nobody’s business and he would enter the fight in supreme condition. Well before his first fight he will have prepared his ground game skills. If Manny were ever to decide to fight MMA he would not do it right away. Pacman would bring in the best and he would learn submission techniques, kicking techniques, the whole 9 yards.
What’s the big difference between a boxing world champion in James Toney, and a boxing world champion in Manny Pacquiao, as it pertains to being successful in MMA? James Toney was a great boxing champion, Manny Pacquiao is an elite unheard of 8 division world champion, still in his prime.
This topic actually game up in the back locker room at the StrikeForce card in Jackson, MS in November. A group of talented up and coming mixed martial artists from Mississippi tossed the idea around, and believe or not, a lot of them said that Manny Pacquiao would do a good job as an MMA fighter. They take Pacquiao a lot more serious than they take James Toney.
Obviously with Manny’s political career beginning, and his boxing career coming to an end in the not so far future, an MMA fight probably would never happen. It’s an interesting topic to toss around and I personally would love to see hit happen one day.
MMA doesn’t need any jump-start, but if Pacquiao were ever to decide to try it, the entire fight world would be watching.
