Speculation Swirls With Announcement Of Manny Pacquiao Return

Speculation Swirls With Announcement Of Manny Pacquiao Return
By: Sean Crose

“Don’t call it a comeback!” rapper LL Cool J hollered on his album “Momma Said Knock You Out.” The same statement could well apply to Manny Pacquiao now that he’s announced his “return” after what amounts to a couple of weeks’ worth of retirement. He simply hasn’t been away long enough to be retired. The guy only fights twice a year, for Pete’s sake, and his last bout was in the spring. Still, the Filipino Senator is once again the talk of the fight game with a return scheduled for this October.

Word was out that Manny might indeed face the colorful Adrien Broner. That may not have made for a top tier matchup, but it would have been interesting and would also have probably earned some serious pay per view coin. It may also have pleased fight guru Al Haymon to have what must be the biggest headache in his stable engage in a huge fight that would prove lucrative, win, lose or draw. Sadly, however, Pacquiao-Broner seems as if it’s simply not meant to be. For Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum claims that Broner simply asked for too much money (Broner is very much a contemporary fighter, after all).

Who else is out there for Pacquiao, though? Sure, there’s plenty of guys, but which ones are pay per view worthy? Jesse Vargas is being mentioned, but I can’t see that fight bringing in the numbers Pacquiao’s last fight with Tim Bradley…did and that bout was said to be a financial disappointment. Vargas simply isn’t a big enough name. Haymon fighters Shawn Porter, Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia would all prove interesting, but it’s worth wondering whether Haymon would want to send out his top welterweights to face a man who fights for another promoter and who might well beat them.

Terrence Crawford fights in the same camp as Pacquiao does, but he’s up against the extremely talented Viktor Postol this summer. Sure, Crawford may win the fight, but he may also lose. Indeed, Crawford-Postol is a very close matchup to call right now. Besides, if Crawford wins, he might need some more time to prepare for what would undoubtedly be the match of his life. As for Postol, well, he’s not really well known. Sure, he could fight Manny if he beats Crawford, but would a match pitting Pacquiao against the lanky European be something fans would clamor for?

The name of Floyd Mayweather will undoubtedly come up at some point, but I really don’t think fans would be crazy about that one. Many say a Manny-Floyd rematch would be huge if it did half the numbers of the first fight. Fine…but I wonder if it would actually do that much. Likewise, rematches with Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez may also have a “been there, done that” feel to them. Who, then, will the Filipino icon end up facing this fall? You can be sure it will be someone.

You can also be sure you’ll have to pay to watch it.