Like him, love him; Revere him or hate him, there’s no question that Manny Pacquiao has taken the world by storm and is carrying a good portion of boxing’s financial well-being on his shoulders.
But the question is: Who will step up to be boxing’s next cash cow once he fades away? Here are the
five likeliest candidates and why they may (or may not) be the next big thing:
1) Nonito Donaire (25-1, 17 KOs): To outsiders, “The Filipino Flash” is a no-brainer to be the heir apparent to the Pacquiao legacy. He’s young, Filipino, supremely talented, with plenty of physical and professional growth to be had. A win in February over Mexico’s Fernando Montiel might be enough to take him to that next step in popularity, but opinions are mixed about this bantamweight star, even among his fellow countrymen. Filipinos seem to be torn on the subject of Donaire. Family and cultural issues still loom large in the marketability of Donaire.
2) Saul Alvarez (35-0-1, 26 KOs): Who said the next Pacquiao has to be Filipino or even Asian? With more than 160 million Mexicans and Mexican-Americans in North America alone, the market is there for another “Gran Campeon Mexicano.” Back in the 80’s, if the internet existed, Julio Cesar Chavez would’ve been every bit as big as Pacquiao. In “El Canelo” Alvarez, many think we’re seeing a star in the making. The 20-year old native of Guadalajara has all the potential, but it’s still way too early to start investing in his star.
3) Amir Khan (24-1, 17 KOs): The charismatic and talented UK jr. welterweight champ has everything one would need to attain superstar status. The skills and ability are there and there are plenty of talented rivals on the landscape to help mold his legend, including Pacquiao, himself. Khan, who is of Pakistani descent, also has the potential to bring in the massive Middle Eastern demographic. Questions remain regarding his chin and his long-term focus, but everything seems to be falling together nicely for the 24-year old champion. (Continued on Next Page)
