Anyone but Manny Pacquiao.
That’s the adamant stance taken by Floyd Mayweather Jr. following another masterful performance against Saul Alvarez Saturday night (Sunday in Manila) in Las Vegas.
“I am not thinking about Manny Pacquiao,” Mayweather told Agence France-Presse when asked about his possible opponents in the near future.
The unbeaten American may be running out of credible foes, but he continues to ignore calls by boxing fans that he fight the Filipino eight-division world champion.
Despite a bum decision loss to Timothy Bradley and a brutal knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez, Pacquiao is widely perceived to be the only fighter capable of putting a blot on Mayweather’s immaculate 45-0 card.
For Pacquiao to appear on Mayweather’s radar, though, the fighting congressman from Sarangani province must first dispose of Brandon Rios on Nov. 24 at The Venetian Macao.
Lawyer Jeng Gacal, Pacquiao’s legal counsel and close aide who watched Mayweather give the previously unbeaten Alvarez a virtual boxing clinic, said he is losing hope that the flamboyant American will fight Pacquiao.
“He (Mayweather) doesn’t really want to risk his unblemished record,” said Gacal, newly elected councilor of Gen. Santos City where Pacquiao plans to train initially for the Rios tiff.
Gacal said a new physical conditioning expert will arrive soon to replace Alex Ariza, who was fired by trainer Freddie Roach.