Saturday night, Manny Pacquiao scored a close, majority decision victory over arch-nemesis, Juan Manuel Marquez in a an exciting championship bout at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
With the glow of victory still in the air, it’s time to think about the next step for Pacquiao and his career legacy.
Here’s a look at Manny’s options:
Timothy Bradley
“Desert Storm” is the logical next choice for the Filipino legend. Bradley is young, undefeated and a recent signee to Top Rank promotions. He’s also a brave, come-forward battler who will compliment Pacquiao’s style perfectly and, likely, put on a good show. Bradley’s hand speed and athleticism could give Pacquiao problems, but he’s lacking the kind of punching power to put Manny in serious trouble.
Mike Jones
The Philadelphia native is a welterweight on the rise and another Top Rank fighter easy to sign for a Pacquiao bout. The tall, lanky 6-foot-tall Jones would tower over the much smaller Pacquiao and could look every bit the part of a formidable opponent. However, Jones lacks the skill and seasoning to truly challenge a fighter like Pacquiao and would not likely be much of a challenge.
Brandon Rios
“Bam Bam” is a lightweight quickly outgrowing the lightweight division. The all-action brawler is actually two inches taller than Pacquiao and would make for a fantastically fan favorite bout. Rios could very well go down in flames, but he would make for a fierce and memorable opponent. Another Top Rank fighter, Rios would also allow CEO Bob Arum to keep everything “in house.”
The Winner of Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito II
This battle of former Pacquiao victims and Top Rank stablemates could go a long way in terms of career rehab. An impressive, dominant win could possibly even erase the memory of a one-sided loss to Manny. A rematch against Pacquiao, for either fighter, would be a tough sell, but stranger things have happened.
