Manny Pacquiao Retires: The Effect on Boxing
By Geno McGahee
At the age of 31, Manny Pacquiao has a lot of boxing life left in him, but when he gets beyond the Antonio Margarito fight, what will be left? When you reach a certain level in boxing and you are facing marquee opponents, it’s tough to take a backward step. The public’s demand for Manny to face perceived tough opponents may not allow him to take an “easy one” while he waits for a Floyd Mayweather, JR., showdown.
If there are no worlds left to conquer, what is Pacquiao to do?
There have been recurring comments from Team Pacquiao that retirement is in the near future, and with Floyd Mayweather, JR., apparently not interested in the fight of the decade, what else is there? Even a great fighter like Paul Williams, an incredible challenge for Pacquiao, would not generate the public’s interest. The diehard boxing fans would be sincerely intrigued by the fight, but the casual fan would say “Paul who?” Williams hasn’t had the sort fan following to make the fight worth the risk. Sergio Martinez is the same deal.
When you look at the recent string of opponents for Pacquiao, you see that he has not taken the easiest path. Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Oscar De La Hoya, Joshua Clottey, and Juan Manuel Marquez make up his recent opposition, and he has shined. He now faces Margarito, a guy that would be considered tough with loaded gloves, but now seems to be a man walking face first into a tank. Look for Manny to win that one with ease.
So, December rolls around and Pacquiao is still the man in boxing. What happens next?
You have to figure that Mayweather, JR., will once again be on the radar, but with legal problems and a mental breakdown, it’s tough to imagine that fight coming off at all. Maybe we have all been so scorned by the two failures of it to materialize that we cannot believe that it will ever happen. If it doesn’t happen, what happens next?
The retirement of Manny Pacquiao may be eminent.
Then again, Pacquiao has shown that he is driven by money as anything else and if Bob Arum can jingle the change in front of his eyes, we may see the following two opponents on the agenda…
Kelly Pavlik
Considering that Pacquiao is seen as invincible at welterweight, with the only man possibly holding the key to beating him being Floyd Mayweather, JR., how about a move to 160? Former Middleweight Champion Kelly Pavlik was once a big draw but after two defeats, he is now in nowhere land. If he were to take on Pacquiao at 160 or a catch weight of 155-ish, it would be a big seller for all involved. Arum could not lose. If Pacquiao wins, the money train rolls on, but if he loses, Pavlik is reborn and he is back to a big PPV draw. I have a sneaking suspicion that this fight is going to happen if Manny doesn’t leave the sport.
Julio Cesar Chavez JR
How about an easy one that would sell incredibly well? There aren’t many fighters now creating a buzz like Julio Cesar Chavez, JR. He is fighting at middleweight and would remain there to take on Pacquiao. The idea would be to bring in the enormous following of Chavez, JR., along with the Pacquiao fans, creating a huge event. It would be an event, not a great fight, but when you examine the PPV sales of both men, you have to think that Arum has considered this bout. Chavez, JR., has been very protected and perhaps they are looking for the one big cash out. This would be it.
Where does boxing go without Pacquiao?
It’s inevitable that Manny will retire from boxing. He’s a national hero. When he wins, the entire Philippines celebrate the victory. The groupies that write about him constantly will have to find a new subject, unless they change from his boxing life to his personal life, which apparently may be part of their fantasies. Pacquiao’s removal from the sport will be a blow, but boxing has been down and out before and will return again.
Boxing has some stars on the rise that will take the place of Pacquiao. Maybe not one will fill the open slot immediately but with fighters like Yuriokis Gamboa, Juan Manuel Lopez, Amir Khan, Tavoris Cloud, Lucian Bute, David Lemiuex, Nonito Donaire, and Alfredo Angulo make up a small sample of the group of exciting fighters making their way into the public eye.
Recently Golden Boy Promotions has stated that we need network TV for boxing once again and it’s a no brainer. We do. If these future stars get the right exposure, the future of boxing is very bright. Gamboa is on a collision course with fellow undefeated power-puncher, Juan Manuel Lopez, and British superstar Amir Khan is taking on the biggest challenge of his career in Marcos Maidana. Things are looking up in boxing and should Manny retire after his Margarito fight, it will survive.
When Pacquiao retires, there will be a regrouping in boxing. With such a lack of stars currently, most have tunnel vision and focus on Pacquiao, and when he goes, some casual boxing fans will back away from the sport again until the next big thing comes along. Boxing is a sport that gets beaten up all of the time in the press, but it has never been stopped. It will continue to fight even without Pacquiao.
Read Manny Pacquiao Vs Floyd Mayweather JR: The History Lesson