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Philippines, 03 Oct 2024 |
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Pacquiao vs Mayweather is off, but does Manny need it? PhilBoxing.com Tue, 26 Feb 2019  The tail end of 2018 and the first month of 2019 have seen decisive victories in the ring for Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, but the long rumoured rematch between the pair is looking increasingly unlikely, despite their first match remaining the most lucrative of all time. Mayweather took a $10 million paycheck for an exhibition match in Japan on New Years Eve in which he easily bested Tenshin Nasukawa. Pacquiao, meanwhile, returned to fight in the United States for the first time in 26 months to convincingly outpoint Adrien Broner via unanimous decision and retain his secondary welterweight world title for the first time. Fans of Pacquiao had begun to get excited last year when he said he?d be looking to take on Mayweather again after fighting Broner. Pacquiao was beaten back in 2015, but says he was fighting with an injured shoulder. ?Tell him to come back to the ring and we can fight,? Pacquiao reiterated after the Broner fight. ?I am willing to fight Floyd Mayweather again ? if he is ready to come back to boxing.? Mayweather, who was at the match, declined to comment directly. "You keep asking me about Manny Pacquiao. He needs to get past Adrien Broner first. And right now I'm living a happy and healthy life," he said prior to the fight. The announcement that Mayweather is heading back to Japan this summer for a fixture against an unannounced opponent appears to have put the possibility firmly to bed. He seems to be more interested in drawing paychecks with the smallest amount of risk attached to them now that he?s in his ?retirement?. 
Senator Manny Pacquiao campaigns Sunday in Cebu ahead of the Philippine elections this coming May, 2019. So, despite Pacquiao having signed a deal with Mayweather Promotions in the hopes of landing the second match, his hopes look like they will come to nothing. There?s plenty of fight left in the Filipino senator, though - despite being 40 he looked 10 years younger in the Broner match. He?s confirmed that even without the Mayweather fight, he?ll continue to box. "I really don't believe my career is over and I proved it in my last fight against (Lucas) Matthysse and I proved it again at the age of 40," he said. "Manny Pacquiao's journey will continue." If not Mayweather next, then who? Keith Thurman would be an interesting match. The so-called ?super? title holder Thurman will be eyeing Pacquiao?s secondary belt and his form is looking good following his defeat of Josesito Lopez. The pairing would make for some terrific boxing, and as Thurman?s with PBC it would be easy to make happen. Promotors would have an easy time with it too given the magnitude of the fight, Thurman?s personality and Pacquiao?s popularity. 
A less commercial but no less compelling choice would be Jeff Horn. It certainly has narrative chops. After an entertaining 2017 fight in Horn?s home town of Brisbane Pacquiao was robbed of a decision. The other side is up for it, and Horn promotor Dean Lonergan even reckons it could take Pacquiao closer to Mayweather. "A rematch of that fight, either in Las Vegas or Brisbane, should be a requirement by Floyd, along with the boxing public and broadcaster, to give a possible Mayweather-Pacquiao II the credibility it needs," he said. Even if the Mayweather fight never materialises, there?s plenty of boxing for Pacquiao to busy himself with. There?s plenty of fight left in the 40 year old.  |
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