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Manny Pacquiao: What's The Best Three Fights Left for Pacman? PhilBoxing.com Tue, 05 Mar 2019 Manny Pacquiao made his triumphant US return when he dominated former four-division world champion Adrien Broner in their welterweight bout last January at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada. Throughout the duration of the match, the fighting Senator from the Philippines showed that he could still go toe-to-toe with a much younger foe at the age of 40. His speed might have taken a step back but his overall boxing skills have remained lethal as ever. Although Broner has the reputation for picking his spots, an average of eight punches per round is just plain ridiculous. That only proved that Pacquiao can still suffocate his opponent with a barrage of punches, forcing his foe to hide in a shell all match. As for his drawing power, Pacquiao still has it. Showtime released the pay-per-view numbers for the Pacquiao-Broner fight and the result was solid. The bout garnered 400,000 PPV buys amounting to $30 million in revenue. It also sold 11,410 live gates ticket or $6 million in revenue, a figure promoter Sean Gibbons deemed not surprising at all given Pacquiao?s credibility as an entertaining fighter. In short, Pacman still possesses the skills and charisma to book another blockbuster fight. Luckily for him, the welterweight division offers plenty of options for him because it is loaded with high caliber fighters. There?s three-division champion Danny Garcia, undefeated WBA champion Keith Thurman, WBC title-holder Shawn Porter, knockout machine Errol Spence Jr. and the current pound-for-pound king Terrence Crawford. Any of these fighters would bring out the best in Pacquiao. That?s how stacked the division is. However, there are only few fights here that are guaranteed to tear the house down. These are the kind of fights that would further enhance the Filipino champ?s legacy as the fighter who never backs down from no one. Let?s take a closer look at these potential Pacquiao matches. Manny Pacquiao vs. Keith Thurman First off on Pacman?s hit-list is Keith Thurman, the former WBC and current WBA super champion. Pacquiao ironically also holds a WBA welterweight world title, though it?s the regular version of the belt. This fight would unify the two WBA welterweight belts, and more importantly, give fans an intriguing tussle between two hard-hitting fighters in the division. Thurman is coming off almost two years of inactivity because of various injuries. His comeback fight last January 26 didn?t go as planned as Joselito Lopez pushed him to the limit in their 12-round contest. Indeed, Thurman was far from his sharp fighting version yet that won?t stop him from challenging Pacman in the post-fight interviews. ?I would definitely take it,? Thurman said of potential showdown with Pacquiao ?That?s a beautiful fight.? "Maybe Brooklyn, maybe Vegas, wherever Manny Pacquiao wants it," Thurman said. "I'd even fight him in the Philippines if I have to." No disrespect to Broner, but a victory over Thurman would catapult Pacquiao back as one of the bona fide kings of the welterweight division. A loss, on the other hand, would put Pacquiao back to earth and probably force him into considering retirement. That?s how game-changing this fight would be. Manny Pacquiao vs. Terrence Crawford This fight is a certified blockbuster. Pacquiao, the former king of the boxing world, going against boxing?s best fighter in Terrence Crawford is a must-see attraction. It would give the sport of boxing the new energy it is craving for. Pacman might be several years past his prime, but the last fight proved that he can still hold his own against the elites. Of course, Crawford is a very dangerous opponent for him given his track record (34-0, 25Kos). Still, the pound-for-pound king hasn?t fought a fighter of Pacquiao?s caliber in his career. Pacquiao?s ability to swarm his opponent and hit them from different angles is something that would pose all kinds of trouble to Crawford. Again, there?s a high chance Pacquiao will be losing this match. However, that won?t take away his guts to fight a much younger fighter at the peak of his prime. Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Last but certainly not the least, the Pacquiao-Mayweather II is the fight boxing really needs at this time. Yes, every boxing fan is aware that the first showdown between the two high-profile fighters didn?t live up to the hype. It was a snooze fest as the ring turned into Mayweather?s dancing platform and it only profited the betting industry. Then again, this fight left a big ?what if? in the minds of boxing fans. What if Pacquiao never hurt his shoulder? What if Mayweather did not survive Pacquiao?s 3rd round onslaught? A second showdown between Pacquiao and Mayweather would definitely answer that question. It would give the fans what deprived from them in the first match: an action-packed contest featuring the top-2 best fighter of the last 20 years. |
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