For all intents and purposes, Pacquiao is now the boxing equivalent of fat Elvis Presley in Vegas, going through the motions and banking on nostalgia?
When swooning, middle-aged housewives packed themselves into the Las Vegas Hilton Showroom in the 70?s to see a pudgy, sweaty Elvis Presley, it was less about music and more about reliving a memory. The man who had lit up their world two decades earlier was clearly slower and had definitely lost his edge, but he was THERE. And, for true-blue fans, the draw of nostalgia is every bit as powerful as the initial impact that made them fans in the first place.
For all intents and purposes, Manny Pacquiao is now the boxing equivalent of fat Elvis Presley in Vegas, going through the motions and banking on nostalgia to keep eyeballs on the TV and asses in seats.
The question of whether Pacquiao is still among the elite welterweights in the world is up for debate, but there seems to be no real plan to test those deep 147 waters. Instead, Team Pacquiao, guided by promoter Bob Arum, has focused on Manny as a novelty icon?a draw to long-time loyalists and, if Arum gets his way, a piggyback ride for in-house up-and-coming fighters.
Pacquiao?s reported opponent for his April 14 return is battle-weary Mike Alvarado and, if all goes according to Arum?s plan, he will face the winner of the Terence Crawford-Jeff Horn main event, slated for that same card.
But don?t count on any piggyback rides from Pacquiao. Manny?s done recording new material. From this point forward, it?s all ?Love me Tender? and ?Hound Dog? at three-quarters speed.
If Pacquiao balks at allowing himself to be a professional torch passer for Top Rank studs, the back-up plan appears to be a never-ending farewell tour against no-hopers for the benefit of mega-fans and those who couldn?t see him his first time around. The April 14 card is a bit of both worlds as there is no chance he loses to Alvarado and no guarantee he will actually face the winner of Horn-Crawford, especially if the much more complex and talented Crawford emerges victorious (as expected).
Most likely, the near-40 ?Greatest Hits? Pacquiao accepts a return bout with Horn because it?s a very winnable fight (and some feel he won the first time around), but rejects Crawford (and every other top welterweight) in favor of Miguel Cotto-like, final-year retirement tour that could very well extend beyond a year. Don?t be surprised, either, if Horn remains in the mix of potential foes, even if he loses to Crawford.
Fat Elvis ain?t recording with The Clash when there?s still plenty of money in singing the same fifteen songs over and over again.
Nostalgia makes suckers of otherwise rational people. But maybe that?s being too harsh. Sports, like music, is entertainment and if you?re entertained by fat Elvis karate kicking or by old Pacquiao walking through a shot Mike Alvarado, then you?ve gotten your money?s worth.
But there?s a price to pay for excessive backward glancing and nostalgic hero worship.
Boxing is an ugly business where stardom is only truly achieved when a fighter has devoured the stars of the past generation. Pacquiao piggybacked off of Oscar De La Hoya to achieve next-level stardom; De La Hoya piggybacked off of Julio Cesar Chavez. As ugly as this may sound, Pacquiao being disassembled by a younger, hungrier fighter would be good for the sport.
But Pacquiao (like Floyd Mayweather) can get by just fine without ever having to pass any torch. Arguably, his only real high-end, high-risk fight since being knocked cold by Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012 was his 2015 mega-bucks loss to Mayweather. And it doesn?t look like the plan is any bolder as Manny reaches 40 years old and beyond.
Elvis Presley sold out the Hilton showroom for eight straight years with his safe ?Best of? show. Manny Pacquiao can easily go a couple more years on that career plan.
And today?s new welterweight elite?Spence, Thurman, Crawford, and anyone else who steps forward to try and claim greatness?will be on their own to find a path to stardom.
