What Profits Manny Pacquiao Fighting Mikey Garcia?
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 11 Mar 2021
Indeed. The question begs an answer. A satisfactory answer from Manny Pacquiao who holds the key to any fight involving him, most of all his first ring appearance coming back from long inactivity since July 2019.
Why Mikey Garcia?
Five years back, a fight with Mikey would have been natural. A Pacquiao coming off a loss to Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and a shoulder injury surgery against a fighter notching Pacquiaonesque ring feats after also freeing himself from the claws of Bob Arum.
Much earlier, Arum himself was licking his chops, salivating over the prospect of Manny and Mikey meeting in some future dream match where the old legend meets the new.
But Uncle Bob bungled Manny's career setting him up for a loss first to Tim Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez and later, Mayweather and Jeff Horn. Luckily in all cases, Manny was resilient enough to stage mighty comebacks.
Arum likewise stunted Mikey's growth putting him in a freezer when Garcia showed signs of trying to break free from his stranglehold.
Luckily again, Mikey was able to get his contract release and made up for lost time by reasserting himself at super featherweight and winning world belts at super lightweight and lightweight.
But Mikey seemed to over reach himself by picking uber gifted unified champion Errol Spence in his bid for a fifth world division championship. Spence proceeded to pitch a shutout victory over Mikey winning almost every round in posting a unanimous points decision.
Since then, Mikey's image as Pacquao's heir apparent has taken a hit. Some say he was too small for the welterweight with not a few saying he intentionally leapfrogged to 147 to avoid a confrontation with the likes of Jorge Linares and Vasyl Lomachenko at lightweight and Josh Taylor, Jose Ramirez and Regis Prograis at super lightweight. They claimed that Mikey would rather risk taking on big Errol than fight and risk losing to some of those who are almost his size.
Of course, Mikey proved that he belonged at welterweight by manhandling Jessie Vargas in his last outing. Vargas once reigned as WBO champion but has losses to both Pacquiao and Bradley.
The perception remains, however: Mikey is out to make a mark at welterweight at the expense of a leaving legend - Pacquiao. And he might do it.
Hence, the question: what profits Manny at this late stage of his career fighting somebody like Mikey?
If Pacquiao wins, many will say, so what? It is expected. Errol has done it first, and quite handily.
Financially speaking, I doubt it if Manny would bankroll more than $5 million in a fight against Mikey. But translated to pesos, that's still more than 200 million, a lot of money for his election or reelection bid in 2022.
Manny may have rued missing the opportunity and a lot bigger purse fighting British MMA superstar Conor McGregor. I doubt it if it could still be salvaged and still be financially lucrative, or at least viable.
But Mikey Garcia?
Whatever happens to his call on Arum for a fight versus Terrence Crawford at $40 million to $10 million split in his favor?
A pie in the sky? I think he should place his focus on that happening.
Or at least a fight versus Spence who by the way holds half of the welterweight trinkets.
Did the fans wait this long only for a fight with Mikey who holds no official major belt?
Come on, Manny.
The trouble with you is that you have too much faith in Sean Gibbons and Freddie Roach who both believe that the Mikey Garcia fight is natural---and winnable.
But I believe, as many does, that it will better serve his legacy fighting either Crawford or Spence.
The welterweight it is said has been losing its luster---and relevance--because the top three kings refuse to fight each other. Never mind Yordenis Ugas.
Nothing is lost or be ashamed of fighting to the utmost of your ability and still coming up short, losing to the best.
Manny knows that.
Manny should rediscover his hunger for honor and prestige not only for himself but for his millions of adoring fans around the world, most of all his Filipino boxing worshippers.
That's my personal humble take on this Manny leaning towards a fight versus Mikey Garcia. He stands to gain nothing against Mikey.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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