Following a sensational 2019, which saw decision wins over Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman, Manny Pacquiao is contemplating his next move.
While a potential rematch with Floyd Mayweather depends on the American’s appetite to return to the ring, ‘Pacman’ has his options firmly open in the welterweight division.
Errol Spence Jr. and Shawn Porter battle it out in a unification on September 28th. Meanwhile, Terrance Crawford currently holds the WBO version.
Pacquiao advisor Sean Gibbons cast his views on the current 147-lb landscape. The MP Promotions guru revealed the boxing icon’s vision for the remainder of the year.
“I don’t see many people screaming for Spence versus the Senator or Crawford,” Gibbons told World Boxing News in an exclusive interview.
“They seem to be yelling for them to fight each other. Again, the Senator would beat every Crawford, every Spence on his way up.
“These guys need him right now, so at the end of the day, yeah, you don’t rule anything out, but it’s boxing.
“Spence has a tough fight with Shawn Porter first. He isn’t an easy fight by any means. He’s a very hard guy stylistically. So until all of these guys fight, things shake out again.
“Right now, for the rest of the year, the Senator is just enjoying himself playing basketball. He’s taking care of his basketball league and then he’ll see in a few months what his future looks like for 2020.”
Gibbons had previously informed WBN about the chances of a lucrative second bout between ‘Money’ Mayweather and Pacquiao.
“We would love to be able to avenge that loss,” he confirmed. “The Senator feels a few things happened before, such as a fight with his shoulder and some other issues that he wasn’t really 100%.
“It’s always out there, can it happen? – Maybe. Will it happen? We have no idea, but the Senator is working on his legacy in the meantime. Where he’s going in boxing?
“His world doesn’t revolve around waiting for Mayweather, so he’s looking forward to next year. He’s going to rechallenge himself with a top welterweight. Then we’ll see what plays out with the rest of the division.”
“Until we get any indication from Floyd, we’re carrying on,” Gibbons continued. “We will fight whoever is presented.
“We will always try to make entertaining fights for another year into 2020. And that’s even though the Senator, at this point in his career, takes one fight at a time.
“Funnier things have happened in life. You don’t know when that one day is. Maybe the guys get the itch. Maybe he says, ‘I’m tired of people talking about it again.'”
Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay. Learn more about the author, experienced boxing writer, and World Boxing News Editor since 2010. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN.
