Return of the Pac

[Batman]

Pacquiao eyes next fight in Malaysia in May or June
'Definitely, Malaysia is where we will fight. If not May, this coming June, maybe third week of June, so the preparation will not conflict with my work,' says Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine boxing idol Manny Pacquiao said his next opponent would be either world champion Lucas Matthysse or Danny Garcia in Malaysia in May or June, after rejecting an undercard offer to face Mike Alvarado.

Pacquiao told ABS-CBN television in an interview aired Tuesday that his camp had narrowed the choices down to World Boxing Association welterweight champion Matthysse, of Argentina, or the American former WBA super-welterweight and World Boxing Council welterweight champ Garcia, who was unbeaten until last year.

"Definitely, Malaysia is where we will fight. If not May, this coming June, maybe third week of June, so the preparation will not conflict with my work," said Pacquiao, who is also a senator.

Last week Pacquiao, 39, rejected an offer to fight on the undercard of the Jeff Horn-Terence Crawford fight in the US in April.

Pacquiao, who has won world titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions, previously said he was eyeing an April date with Ukraine's World Boxing Organization superfeatherweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko during a break from his senatorial duties.

Asked why he would fight in Malaysia, Pacquiao said "because those in Malaysia appealed to also have a fight there".

Pacquiao is a national hero in the Philippines but there have been growing questions about whether the ageing boxer can still command the mammoth paydays that his fights used to earn.

He lost his WBO welterweight title to the Australian Horn last year to leave his record standing at 59 wins, seven losses and two draws, and is now in the twilight of his career.

The Filipino southpaw retired briefly in 2016 but made a comeback to retake his WBO title from Jessie Vargas just months later. He has not scored a knockout win in the past eight years.

In January, Pacquiao rejected calls to retire for good, adding he did not believe his recent losses tarnished his record.

He parlayed his sporting fame to get elected to the influential Senate in 2016 and has had to juggle his training and matches with his legislative schedule

Thoughts?

[Mark TKO]

Does anyone care any more ?

[Master]

So Manny did not want to be on the undercard Crawford v Horn thinking that would demean him.

Wants to fight Loma because he wants to throw out relevant names.

How the mighty have fallen.

Seems he will persevere with his career

[El Kabong]

He's a legend and so if he's doing a farewell fight in the Philippines then good on him.

If he's attempting to stay relevant for "one last shot" then who the hell cares, I highly doubt he can compete with the title challengers and champions at 147 or 154 right now

[Spicoli]

When was the last time Manny rode the undercard. Arum is just guiding him to a Crawford buzzsaw. If he thinks an already shat PPV moves without at least the Manny name he's nuts.

[Alpha]

Taxes?

Doubt Matthysse travels to Malaysia. Maybe Top Rank will feed him Ponomarev.


Just retire already.

[Gandalf]

Pac is pretty done at this stage, but if he wants a few pay days on the road to finish then so be it. He has had an amazing career and in his prime gave so many great fights. Like with Toney or Jones I don't count these pushing 40 kind of fights.

[walrus]

He is not fighting an MMA guy, nuff said

[Master]

Pac must be broke to continue fighting like Danny Williams or delusional like Roy Jones.

[Spicoli]

Pac must be broke to continue fighting like Danny Williams or delusional like Roy Jones.

I don't mind him sticking around and it's not like he's being sparked and left with his legs twitching like Roy.

If he wasn't screwed over in Horn fight Arum very well may have already tossed him into the blender with Crawford. Should he go that route it'll be his last no doubt.

[Master]

Pac must be broke to continue fighting like Danny Williams or delusional like Roy Jones.

I don't mind him sticking around and it's not like he's being sparked and left with his legs twitching like Roy.

If he wasn't screwed over in Horn fight Arum very well may have already tossed him into the blender with Crawford. Should he go that route it'll be his last no doubt.

You forget Manny getting knocked out face first against JMM just as the PPV corporation did when they were building up the fight with Floyd.

There is the third option that Manny is being bribed by Arum to continue to fight.