Manny Pacquiao may still be one of the most recognizable fighters in the world but he is no longer the big shot on the block. The future Hall of Famer thought that he could bypass plans for him to begin a world tour against somebody named Jeff Horn by chasing a lucrative offer to face Amir Khan in the UAE against the wishes of boss Bob Arum.
Pacquiao and adviser Michael Koncz decided to go off the reservation to secure a fight that had an alleged purse of $38 million while at the same time compromising whatever deal was in process with Horn’s people in Australia. Just like every other fight that has mysterious investors in the UAE, it was all lip service and Pacquiao was back to square one and presumably right back to Jeff Horn.
The April date is now off the table but has been replaced by a better and more high-profile fight between Shawn Porter and Andre Berto to cap off the demoralizing turn of events for Team Pacquiao.
It really is a sign of the times for Pacquiao. It seemed that it was once upon a time he was the toast of the town and people would line up to take a beating and collect a paycheck, but like the era Pacquiao represents, those days are further and further away.
Premier Boxing Champions and Showtime Boxing have all but taken over as the face of the sport as HBO Boxing, long considered the gold standard of the sport for many years, is dwindling into obscurity by sticking to an antiquated business model by relying on pay per views and squash matches on their regular networks barring few exceptions.
Not only that, but fighters and their teams are acknowledging that low risk/high reward is not achievable in this transitional state of the sport outside of a select few fighters and that if they want the spoils, they need the war. Pacquiao has been trying to skirt away from that, hoping to continue to rely on his team to get the best bang for his buck as his career comes to a close, but those options may not be there anymore.
A fight with Khan would be big anywhere, anytime, but there is no way Pacquiao and Khan will be splitting a $38 million purse. Outside of Pacquiao taking said risk against guys like Terence Crawford, Saul Alvarez or Keith Thurman, who really cares about him at this point of his career?
Pacquiao continues to await his foe and return date, now aiming for June against Horn, but there’s no guarantee that there will be anybody there waiting for him when it comes.
Nanaba says
Manny was duly and openly showing support for a president that is killing his own people in the name of “war on drugs”. That baffled me so much for a man that I admired so much. Like me many people don’t care anymore. If He chooses to fight Crawford, people will watch because make no mistake the man can fight
Knee Grow says
obviously you care for him you stupid fuck
Feng Lim says
Haters will be haters.
bullshit says
of pacquiao fights berto or porter it will suck.. bob arum only likes to fight top rank fighters with each other..
richard says
if pacquiao fights somebody other than khan, bronner, crawford, thurman.. its going to be boring
Marco Duterte says
F**ck the BIGOT Pacquiao! He should retire now. His time is done.
Dohma Maay says
Go Pacquiao !
Centriun Jessie Pellegrini says
If Pac man gets a chance to fight Terance Crawford..it will be a good fight!!..Because. Crawford is hungry. Only then will you understand if Pac man still has the will to Win.PERSONAL he should retire:.he’s got enough 💰.money