Manny Pacquiao’s loss to Floyd Mayweather is certainly nothing to be ashamed of -- he’s just the latest of 48 straight wins for Mayweather, in one way. But even though Pacquiao remains a top fighter, and even though his age doesn’t seem to be a major hindrance for him, time may be catching up in other ways.
Manny Pacquiao’s next fight: Shoulder injury leaves 2015 uncertain following loss
What’s next for Manny Pacquiao after his loss to Floyd Mayweather? Injuries and limited options make his immediate future pretty cloudy.
Pacquiao reportedly fought with a shoulder injury on Saturday night, having suffered the setback in training camp. The fighter said at the post-fight press conference that a recent MRI revealed a tear, and it’s possible that he could be facing surgery. Promoter Bob Arum compared it to the injury that Kobe Bryant had, which has him on the shelf for nine months from the date of his own surgery.
At 36, a major injury could be the beginning of the end for Manny Pacquiao, whose brilliant career started 20 years ago. There have been a lot of fights and a lot of miles. He’s faced the best over and over, from flyweight to welterweight. Even if the injury is not as serious as feared, there’s a chance Pacquiao won’t fight again in 2015.
But even if he were going to fight again this year, there is really no clear choice for an opponent. Much like Mayweather, whose September fight appears to be wide open, Pacquiao has limited options for essentially the same reasons. He’s signed to HBO Sports, his promoter has already run out of compelling fights for him, and perhaps the biggest possible fight isn’t one that the other guy even wants.
That fight might be a fifth bout with Juan Manuel Marquez. The two met in 2004, 2008, 2011, and 2012, with the most recent fight resulting in Marquez’s brutal one-punch knockout of Manny. Marquez, 41, has stated repeatedly that he wants to leave the rivalry where it is. Manny has two wins, Marquez has one, and they drew the first time around. Marquez believes he’s deserved to win every fight. Once he officially got his hand raised, that was enough for him.
Now, there’s no river long enough it doesn’t contain a bend, so maybe for the right money offer, the Mexican star could be persuaded to change his mind. Until he does, though, consider Marquez’s stance “thanks, but no thanks.”
One intriguing option is Amir Khan (30-3, 19 KO), who has been chasing a fight with Floyd Mayweather that he’s unlikely to ever land. Khan won’t fight Mayweather in September, because of Ramadan ending too close to that date for him to get in a full and productive training camp that will have him properly prepared and conditioned.
Khan has also stated a desire to face Pacquiao. Like Mayweather, Khan is advised by Al Haymon, who generally does not do business with Top Rank, Pacquiao's promoter, and after the bumps in the road for Mayweather-Pacquiao, it would seem unlikely they'll be rushing to do business with one another again. What makes the fight most intriguing is the fact that Khan trained for a few years under Freddie Roach, and often sparred with Pacquiao as the two prepared for fights.
Top Rank’s in-house options include Timothy Bradley (who is not going to get a third fight with Pacquiao) and Jessie Vargas. Those two will meet on June 27. If Vargas were to get the win there, he could be in line to face Pacquiao.
If the promotional giant feels that Manny is on his way out, they could look to match him up against Terence Crawford sooner than later, though likely not next. Crawford (26-0, 18 KO) looks like a guy who’s going to be a major player in the sport, and part of the next wave of star fighters. He’s already won titles at both 135 and 140 pounds, and was the 2014 Fighter of the Year. The Nebraska native has quickly made a name for himself as a great young talent.
IBF welterweight titleholder Kell Brook (34-0, 23 KO) is a fighter who would love to get a chance against Pacquiao. Lucas Matthysse (37-3, 34 KO) could be a potential foe for Pacquiao, too. He’s an exciting, powerful fighter who has done well at 140 pounds, and is coming off of a win over Ruslan Provodnikov.
Many of the best names at 140 and 147 are with Al Haymon, which would seem to rule out guys like Danny Garcia, Keith Thurman, Robert Guerrero, Devon Alexander, and Marcos Maidana.
With a lot of the big fights in boxing these days, next fights aren’t terribly hard to predict. But Mayweather-Pacquiao has resulted in a lot of questions about the futures of the combatants. Mayweather says he’s fighting just one more time before retiring, while Pacquiao’s shoulder injury means he could be out up to a year before fighting again, and by that point, there could be a handful of new names in this mix.
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