PACQUIAO vs KHAN IN THE OLYMPICS?
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 14 Apr 2016
Manny Pacquiao has shown interest in the AIBA invitation for him to fight at the Olympics in Rio. In fact, there is a space reserved for him in the Philippine Team if he decides to join and represent the Philippines.
If Pacquiao decides to do so, he may face a former Olympic silver medalist - Amir Khan.
Khan has expressed interest in fighting at the Olympics to add a gold medal to the silver he won in 2004. ?It?s something I?d maybe love to maybe enter because me winning a silver medal, I want to turn that into a gold medal,? Khan stated.
Being a pro, I sure Pacquiao is keenly aware of the massive changes he has to do to fight in the amateurs. The Filipino spitfire has no amateur background to speak off, as he turned pro at a very young age out of necessity to survive poverty. Would that be a disadvantage?
Would Pacquiao be able to shift gear and focus to fight three short rounds where the advantages of warming up for long fights in the professional division are not a luxury in the amateurs?
How will Pacquiao adjust to the almost daily fights as one moves up to the medal rounds. Will he be able to transition to the daily grinds and treat those as ?sparring??
Although it may not happen, what if for some strange reasons a really great amateur lands a ?Marquez-type lucky shot? and bring down the Pinoy idol? What would that do to his ego, his reputation and the possible mounds of cash he may rake in with a second fight with Mayweather possibly looming in 2017?
Of course all of the above is pure speculation.
Pacquiao and Khan may not fight at the Olympics after all. But we can never say never because for the Philippines to win a gold medal in boxing, it may take a Pacquiao-type boxer to do so. And, this is no put down to many of our great amateurs.
Trouble is there is only one Pacquiao. So if the country really wants to assure a gold medal in boxing, it may have to turn to Pacquiao to do so.
But he may have to get past a rival he never was interested in fighting at the professional level - Amir Khan.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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