How Long Does Manny Pacquiao Have Left?

As we await the two biggest stars (Canelo & AJ) in BOXING‘s next Fight date confirmation, we take a look & have a discussion about the worlds most famous Boxer.

Manny Pacquiao is clearly the worlds most famous boxer. Not since Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali, has anyone been able to rival his name the world over.

Canelo Alverez is looking to be in action again -targeting November possibly against Kovalev & Anthony Joshua is still trying to convince Andy Ruiz Jr. to travel to Saudi Arabia for a December 7th Mega Fight.

I have said many times that in a few hundred years from now, when people look back at BOXING History, no one will talk about records, sure Muhammad Ali’s amazing career & audio will forever be in enshrined in human memory, but the legend that will forever be in people’s imagination will be Manny Pacquiao (similar to how people today view Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan & Bruce Lee).

Normally,  boxers get knocked of the elite list by battling other prime fighters. It has become clear that Manny Pacquiao who may be the greatest boxer /fighter in our life time is no longer battling others as much as himself.

Manny Pacquiao’s accolades are nothing short of legend, he is boxing’s only eight division world champion. He has fought nobody but the best, often Fighting the best fighters who are clearly 10, 20 and even 30 pounds bigger than him.

Most recently, at the age of 40, he fought and beat a prime welterweight Champion by the name of Keith “One Time” Thurman.

Pacquiao has showed he can hang with the young lions of today even at age 40. It is no longer a question if Manny Pacquiao is better and more talented than today’s welterweights.

It’s simply a question of when will Manny Pacquiao’s time run out. Father time of course catches up with everyone. There comes a point in everybody’s life when they slow down, when they pull a muscle and their body simply does not react the same to training. Guys age 40 can’t train the same because they need more time to recover.

Manny Pacquiao‘s next projected fight will be in January of 2020 when he is 41 years old. Pacquiao’s goal is to clear out the welterweight division one more time before retiring.

If he is able to win in January he will take another huge mega fight in the summer of 2020.

Pacquiao’s most likely opponent for January will be the winner of the Errol Spence Junior / Shawn Porter fight which takes place September 28th. If PAC wins that, the media will buzz and guess who he will fight in the summer of 2020.

Pacquiao is in a golden position, he has earned the right to be in the driver seat and name anybody who he wants to fight. Pacquiao has always challenged himself, never backed away from a fight and only wants the biggest names in boxing.

Fighters are honored to step in the ring with the legend and also they do like that big payday. Outside of Floyd Mayweather Junior, Pacquiao can choose anyone he wants to fight in the 140-154 weight classes and they will sign the contract immediately.

So the biggest question isn’t where Manny Pacquiao belongs on the all-time greatest list, it isn’t where he belongs on the pound for pound list, and it isn’t where he belongs in boxing history.

The biggest question is how long will Manny Pacquiao continue to fight at this elite level?

One day Manny Pacquiao will Fight an elite Boxer and lose (assuming he keeps fighting and doesn’t retire). When that day comes, make no mistake, it wasn’t that the opponent is better than him, it was simply that Pacquiao’s time as the best has set.

Bernard Hopkins, The alien, The Executioner had a most spectacular career and fought at an elite level till the age of 50. What is the difference you might ask?

Manny Pacquiao Fights guys that are bigger than him, Manny Pacquiao Fights Boxers he has no business being in the ring with, takes their punches and still beats them!!!

PAC doesn’t pick opponents based on their boxing Stlye or what possible weakness they have, he only picks the top guys.

Look at the size difference when Manny Pacquiao fought Floyd Mayweather Junior, and I can tell you Mayweather is not a very big Welterweight compared to an Errol Spence Jr.

Manny Pacquiao is Simply Spectacular!!!

Earlier Article:

Previous Article Written March 27, 2019:

PACQUIAO’S ELITE SPEED IS GONE:

By JIMMY AYASH / BOXING ACTION MAGAZINE

Legendary fighter Manny Pacquiao is still going strong at 40 years old with no end in sight. He has been ranked in Boxing Action Magazine’s Top 10 P4P for an astronomical record 18+ years. 

Many traits have made Pacquiao a living legend. From boxing’s only 8 division world champion, PAC has not only won 12 titles but has been the  lineal champion in five different weight classes. PAC has always taken on the biggest fights, sometimes fighting guys twice his size.

The #1 asset that Pacquiao possessed besides heart and determination was his lighting fast speed. Pacquiao might have had the quickest short power punch in boxing history.

Pacquiao still has great speed, but the speed 40 year old Pacquiao has today can no long dominate the cream of the crop and the bigger Top P4P boxers anymore. The fight two years ago down under against Jerr Horn was a bit telling of his deteriorating speed and wear & tear of a Warrior who has been in many battles.

40 Year old Pacquiao is going to have to change his game to continue fighting the top guys. Much like an older pitcher adjusts his career when they lose a couple miles on there fast ball. When a pitcher can’t blow batters away anymore, they become true pitchers (artists/thinkers) using all there skill and experience to keep the batter guessing and off balance.

Pacquiao is going to have to become like his good friend Rocky Balboa. Rocky won all his big amazing fights against all odds on the Big Sceen, but he never won using his speed. Beside Heart and determination, Rocky used his mind, Rocky and his team has a game plan for every opponent. Pacquiao will have to play the game the same way now. The days of going in there and being aggressive using speed, power and youth to Mow down opponents is over for Pacquiao ( if he aspires to keep fighting the best).

Pacquiao is going to have to channel his inner Rocky and have a specific game plan (much like Spence did against Garcia)(Spence might have been able to beat Garcia straight up, but instead of just fighting, his team developed a game plan of distance) for each one he fights from now on. Pacquiao’s team and who advises him are now more important then Ever.

Manny Pacquiao is a living legend that will go down in history as one of the all time great to ever put the gloves on.

Photo courtesy of Manny Pacquiao & MP Promotions