Pacquiao Advised To Avoid Pro Return After His Poor Exhibition
Manny Pacquiao has been advised to cancel any plans to return to professional boxing.
The Filipino is coming off a three-round exhibition against kickboxer Rukiya Anpo at a Super RIZN 3 event over the weekend. While the fight was short-lived due to the nature of the rounds, Pacman was not the same fighter. From the off, Anpo was able to bully the eight-division champion by attacking the body and head to slow him down. Pacman made it to the final bell. The fight had no winner simply because it was not being scored.
Had it been scored, Manny would have lost the fight. This has now called into question his plans to face Mario Barrios. Pacman retired from professional boxing in 2021 when he lost to Yordenis Ugas. Barrios has already beaten Ugas, as he is the current WBC Welterweight Champion.
Pacquia’s Return
A win over Barrios makes Manny the oldest welterweight champion at 45. That piece of history would involve breaking his record, which he set at 40 by beating Keith Thurman for the WBA Welterweight Title. While that may be the case, promoter Ben Shalom has advised against a comeback.
“I think it’s so hard for fighters, you have seen it in the Olympics with athletes coming back. We’ve seen so many fighters come back, you always think back to Muhammad Ali and the damage that those last fights had on his life. It is very hard as a promoter to say it, but equally if you have enough money in the bank you have to protect your health. I think it showed in that exhibition that it really should be the end, but ultimately stranger things have happened. As I say fighters are addicted to that buzz and it is very hard to replace it in those final years,” Shalom said
Evander Holyfield made a professional comeback in 2021 when he faced Victor Belfort. The performance showed he was no longer the same fighter. Holyfield’s reaction times were considerably slower, as he was dropped in the first round. He sustained a barrage of punishment before the fight was stopped. Mike Tyson has also raised worries over his health as he is on course to box Jake Paul. They were set to face off on July 20.
Should He Comeback?
However, Tyson pulled out with an inflamed ulcer as Mike Perry stepped in. Tyson is around three decades older than Paul, as there were calls for the fight not to happen. It has been set as a pro fight, with Tyson expected to go ahead. Tyson’s last pro fight was in 2005, when he lost to Kevin McBride. His last appearance in the ring was a 2020 exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. Tyson secured a draw, but it is difficult to see how he could do any better. The same could be said for Manny. However, the manager of his promotional company, Sean Gibbons, wants to see the Barrios fight.
“It’s a 50-50 fight but a very winnable fight for Manny. Barrios is the perfect fighter. He has the right style because he’s there to be hit and he brings it. He wants to mix it up. Over the next month or so, we’ll either be able to make the fight or won’t. It’s very important to get a fight in by December,” Gibbons stated
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