Pacquiao proves critics wrong; next fight still up in the air

Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines poses after defeating Lucas Matthysse of Argentina during their WBA World welterweight title bout in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sunday, July 15, 2018. Pacquiao won the WBA welterweight world title after knocking out Matthysse on round seven. (AP Photo/Yam G-Jun)

KUALA Lumpur—His strength emanates from the Supreme Being but all his achievements are the fruits of hard work and dedication to his sport.

A reflective, somber Manny Pacquiao on Monday said the formula to his success is not really a secret even as he declared he will defend his welterweight belt even after he turns 40 years old in December.

“My next fight, I want to defend my belt,” Pacquiao said.  “If boxing is not my passion, I would not fight again.”

“It’s like I’m addicted to boxing and I really love to fight and bring honor to my country.”

Pacquiao, his family and team arrived in General Santos City on Monday, a day after his seventh-round technical knockout victory over Lucas Matthysse for the World Boxing Association welterweight title at Axiata Arena here.

Nonbelievers

Australian conditioning coach Justin Fortune, meanwhile, expressed disgust over the senator’s detractors.

“He restored his legacy with this fight, I mean there’s a lot of haters out there, like tons of them,” said Fortune the morning after the fight.

Paul Supan of Jose Rizal University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA),  who watched the fight live, said people need “to separate Pacquiao the boxer from Pacquiao the politician.”

Supan came here with Arellano University’s Peter Cayco and Letran’s Fr. Vic Calvo as they felt it was Pacquiao’s last fight.

“People were saying ‘Pacquiao is washed up, why is Pacquiao still fighting’ which are all ridiculous,” said Supan.

Filipino athletes should also emulate Pacquiao, according to 1-Pacman Party-list Rep. Mikee Romero.

“Our athletes in the coming Asian Games in Indonesia should know the true meaning of focus, sacrifice and discipline because these were ingredients used by Sen. Pacquiao to make a big comeback,” said Romero, listed as the richest member of Congress and one of several lawmakers who watched the fight live.

Fortune, a former world heavyweight title contender, cited several great boxers with extended careers like Bernard Hopkins and George Foreman.

“A lot of great champions proved it,” Fortune added.

Fortune said he would love Pacquiao to bring his act to Wembley Stadium in London against Briton Amir Khan for his next fight.

“If I had my way, you know, Wembley Stadium 100,000 people, come on, it’s Pacquiao,” said Fortune. “He (Pacquiao) brought 52,000 people in Brisbane, Australia, [in 2017], they’re for Pacquiao not for [Australian Jeff] Horn.”

“English are great boxing fans, and they love, love, love Manny,” said Fortune of his ward who famously knocked out Briton Ricky Hatton in the second round of their 2009 bout.

Former light welterweight champion Khan has long wanted a crack at Pacquiao and the pair agreed to fight in Dubai last year before the deal collapsed when investors failed to come up with the money in time.

Khan’s speed and power could trouble Pacquiao but the Briton has suffered huge knockout defeats in the past at the hands of big punchers Danny Garcia and Saul “Canelo” Alvares.

Who’s next?

While Pacquiao has not named who he would like to fight next, he said Floyd Mayweather Jr. is a welcome foe should the American come out of retirement for a rematch.

Mayweather beat Pacquiao via unanimous decision in Las Vegas three years ago.

“Mayweather? If he decides to go back to boxing then that is the time we are going to call the shots,” Pacquiao told reporters.

“I have the belt, so it’s up to him. If he wants to come back, let’s do a second one,” he said.

Three-weight world champion Terence Crawford is another possible money-spinning bout, as is a rematch with Horn, who wrested the WBO belt from Pacquiao a year ago.

Crawford, now rated as the “best pound-for-pound fighter” in the world, has never fought outside of the US.   Pacquiao might be lured by a lucrative share of revenues.

Veteran promoter Bob Arum has also talked up a super fight with his Top Rank stable’s three-belt lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko, but that would necessitate Pacquaio dropping back from 147 to 140 or 135 pounds—weight divisions he has not fought at for 10 years.

Legislative duties

But for now, the man who may run for President will return to his day job in the Senate where his inbox has been filling up while he was away.

“There’s going to be a lot of work in the office,” he said with a grin.   —WITH A REPORT FROM AFP