PACQUIAO TO BE BACK IN THE RING ON DECEMBER 2
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 06 Aug 2018
Eight division and eleven time world champion Manny Pacquiao will be back in action atop the boxing ring on December 2 to make his first defense his WBA regular welterweight title he recently won against Lucas Matthysse. However his opponent is still to be determined, according to Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times.
The said date falls on a Sunday, which could mean that the fight would be held in Asia or a place outside the United States. The last Pacquiao fight in U.S. soil was two years ago in November 2016 when he won by unanimous decision against Jessie Vargas in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pugmire posted this on his Twitter account: "Got a text from @mannypacquiao last night telling me he?s looking to fight Dec. 2, but doesn?t have an opponent yet. ? Lance Pugmire (@latimespugmire) August 4, 2018."
Pacquiao's former promoter Bob Arum has long wanted him to face either of the two Top Rank fighters WBA lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko or WBO welterweight titlist Terence Crawford.
Lomachenko, however, is expected to fight WBO lightweight titlist Raymundo Beltran on December 1 in a unification bout. If Pacquiao would express interest to fight Lomachenko, he would have to go down to lightweight to realize the match, because the Ukraine fighter does not want to move up to the welterweight division.
Crawford would be a very dangerous opponent for Pacquiao at this later stage of his career. The 33-year-old Nebraska native is undefeated in 33 fights with 24 stoppages at a very high 73% KO rate. For the past four years, he knocked out 8 of his last 10 opponents.
Another option would be his former sparring partner at the Wild Card Gym, former WBA and IBF light welterweight champ Amir Khan. The British fighter has been floated as possible Pacquiao foe even before the senator's title defense against Jeff Horn in Brisbane, Australia.
WBC and IBF lightweight champion Mikey Garcia is another probable choice for Pacquiao. But he has announced his intention to fight IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. in December, more than his interest in facing Pacquiao. This was right after he won the IBF version of the belt against Robert Easter by a convincing unanimous decision.
The 28-year-old Spence (24-0, 21 KOs) is another menacing opponent for the Filipino fighter and likewise WBA welterweight Super champion Keith Thurman, 29, who is undefeated in 38 fights with 22 KOs.
Floyd Mayweather, after he again closed the possibility of a rematch with Pacquiao, recommended Garcia as the next adversary of his former arch rival. The undefeated former pound-for-pound king even offered to assist Pacquiao in negotiating for his next fight.
Horn congratulated the Filipino icon after his success against Matthysse. The Aussie former WBO champ then asked for a rematch with him. This was supported by former trainer Freddie Roach who suggested that Pacquiao should fight Horn again to get even with him then hang up his gloves for good.
The Ring pound-for-pound ratings ranked his probable opponents Lomachenko (No. 2), Crawford (No. 3), Garcia (No. 5), and Spence (No. 8).
Whoever his opponent will be, expect Pacquiao to buckle down to training to sustain his KO win momentum.
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