“Manny Pacquaio has agreed to fight Conor Benn,” his advisor Sean Gibbons said.
Manny Pacquiao evidently is serious about making a comeback at 44.
Sean Gibbons, the future Hall of Famer’s advisor, said his client has agreed to face 147-pound contender Conor Benn and is waiting to hear back from Eddie Hearn, Benn’s promoter.
No date or potential site has been mentioned.
Pacquiao (62-8-2, 39 KOs) hasn’t taken part in a sanctioned bout since August 2021, when he lost to Yordenis Ugas and later ‘retired.’ He took part in an exhibition with DK Yoo this past December.
“Senator Manny Pacquiao has agreed to fight Conor Benn,” Gibbons told PlanetSport.com. “Do me a favor, call Eddie Hearn. The ball is in his court. Senator Manny Pacquiao is happy to fight Conor Benn.”
Pacquiao turned to politics after walking away from boxing, falling short in his bid to become president of the Philippines in May of last year.
Gibbons said it was around the time of the Yoo event that Pacquiao expressed an interest in fighting again.
“He retired for a minute to run for president of the Philippines, where he took a respectful third place,” Gibbons told ESPN last month. “And after that he felt that his retirement was due to running for president, and now that [he wasn’t elected], he wants to fight again and feels like he can do it at the highest level.”
A fight with Benn (21-0, 14 KOs) would be complicated.
The son of retired champion Nigel Benn was scheduled to face fellow Englishman Chris Eubank Jr. on Oct. 8 but the event was cancelled after Benn tested positive for a banned substance and was suspended.
The WBC ultimately cleared him of intentionally breaking the rules. However, he remains suspended in the U.K., a ruling that likely means the fight would have to take place overseas.
Hearn acknowledged last month that Benn has been in talks with Pacquiao for some time.
“We are in the process of selecting Conor Benn’s next opponent and have been in active talks with Manny Pacquiao’s team,” Hearn told ESPN. “We have had multiple site offers to stage the event and are looking to make an official announcement on Conor’s next fight.”
Pacquiao also has expressed an interest in fighting Kell Brook if he can’t lure Benn into the ring.
Floyd Mayweather ahead of his exhibition with Aaron Chalmers: “If I was taking brutal punishment, I couldn’t do it anymore.”
Don’t expect Floyd Mayweather to take any risks in his exhibition career.
The 46-year-old Hall of Famer, who will face Aaron Chalmers on pay-per-view Saturday at O2 Arena in London, made it clear he has no desire to face the bigger Jake Paul in a sanctioned bout or meet Manny Pacquiao a second time in an exhibition.
He wants to entertain fans while maintaining his good health.
“If I was taking brutal punishment, I couldn’t do it anymore,” he said at a news conference Wednesday in London. “My career was great because of my defense. My faculties were important to me.
“I retired from the sport and I didn’t let the sport retire me.”
Jake Paul?
“We spoke to Jake Paul before and we can only do it an exhibition because of the weight disadvantage,” Mayweather said. “I’m not chasing it anymore. I have accomplished everything I could in boxing.
“We have so many young fighters in boxing today. Give them a chance to go out there so they can shine?
Pacquiao?
“We had a chance to do it when it really counted, for all the marbles,” Mayweather said. “I was able to go out there and generate crazy numbers. You know what the result was.
“My focus is Saturday. That’s why I’m here, to entertain people and the United Kingdom.”
Chalmers, a 35-year-old from Newcastle, England, is a reality television star in the U.K. with experience in MMA. He made his boxing debut in June, outpointing journeyman Alexander Zeledon in a four-rounder.
Mayweather, who will be making his debut in the U.K., was respectful of his opponent.
“I’ve seen everything but you can never overlook a guy or underestimate a guy,” he said. “He believes in his skills and talent. My job is to entertain and do what I do. I don’t have to have fast hand or feet. The proof is in pudding.
“… With all these fighters, I want them to give it 100%. We’re here to entertain. The U.K. has a big fight market, it’s huge. I want him to be at his best and give it his all.”
Mayweather will be taking part in his sixth exhibition. His previous exhibitions: Tenshin Nasukawa in 2018, Logan Paul in 2021, Don Moore last May, Mikuru Asakura in September and Deji Olatunji in November.
He last took part in a sanctioned bout in 2017, when he stopped Conor McGregor in 10 rounds to run his record to 50-0.
Floyd Mayweather ahead of his exhibition with Aaron Chalmers: “If I was taking brutal punishment, I couldn’t do it anymore.”
Don’t expect Floyd Mayweather to take any risks in his exhibition career.
The 46-year-old Hall of Famer, who will face Aaron Chalmers on pay-per-view Saturday at O2 Arena in London, made it clear he has no desire to face the bigger Jake Paul in a sanctioned bout or meet Manny Pacquiao a second time in an exhibition.
He wants to entertain fans while maintaining his good health.
“If I was taking brutal punishment, I couldn’t do it anymore,” he said at a news conference Wednesday in London. “My career was great because of my defense. My faculties were important to me.
“I retired from the sport and I didn’t let the sport retire me.”
Jake Paul?
“We spoke to Jake Paul before and we can only do it an exhibition because of the weight disadvantage,” Mayweather said. “I’m not chasing it anymore. I have accomplished everything I could in boxing.
“We have so many young fighters in boxing today. Give them a chance to go out there so they can shine?
Pacquiao?
“We had a chance to do it when it really counted, for all the marbles,” Mayweather said. “I was able to go out there and generate crazy numbers. You know what the result was.
“My focus is Saturday. That’s why I’m here, to entertain people and the United Kingdom.”
Chalmers, a 35-year-old from Newcastle, England, is a reality television star in the U.K. with experience in MMA. He made his boxing debut in June, outpointing journeyman Alexander Zeledon in a four-rounder.
Mayweather, who will be making his debut in the U.K., was respectful of his opponent.
“I’ve seen everything but you can never overlook a guy or underestimate a guy,” he said. “He believes in his skills and talent. My job is to entertain and do what I do. I don’t have to have fast hand or feet. The proof is in pudding.
“… With all these fighters, I want them to give it 100%. We’re here to entertain. The U.K. has a big fight market, it’s huge. I want him to be at his best and give it his all.”
Mayweather will be taking part in his sixth exhibition. His previous exhibitions: Tenshin Nasukawa in 2018, Logan Paul in 2021, Don Moore last May, Mikuru Asakura in September and Deji Olatunji in November.
He last took part in a sanctioned bout in 2017, when he stopped Conor McGregor in 10 rounds to run his record to 50-0.
Here’s what we know of Manny Pacquiao’s deal with Rizin FF.
[autotag]Manny Pacquiao[/autotag] has shinned some light on the details of his next move in combat sports.
The boxing star and former multiple time champion opened up about what his move to Rizin FF consists of. On Saturday, during the Rizin FF vs. Bellator event in Japan, the promotion revealed that Pacquiao had signed with them and is expected to make his debut sometime in 2023. No further details were given until Pacquiao chatted with the media backstage.
“There’s great action, there’s great fights in Rizin, and the atmosphere of the crowd is amazing,” Pacquiao told reporters regarding his move to Rizin FF.
Pacquiao revealed that although Rizin is mainly an MMA promotion, he’s sticking to his sport, at least on an exhibition level.
“Yes, (the contract is) boxing, one fight, but it’s not the last time,” Pacquiao said.
[lawrence-related id=2607839,2607854]
Pacquiao is coming off an exhibition bout where he fought YouTuber DK Yoo in Seoul, South Korea. He won by unanimous decision.
Regarding who he could potentially face in his second exhibition bout following his retirement from professional boxing, Pacquiao said there’s yet to be a determined opponent. However, he believes his next foe will be an MMA fighter.
“It’s good to have an exhibition fight last December 11, and I’m excited and so happy,” Pacquiao said. “My opponent is martial art, who doesn’t know about boxing, so that’s why he experienced a hard time in the ring.
“But this next exhibition match here in Japan, this is different because I think probably my opponent is a professional UFC, MMA fighter, so he knows how to punch and of course to cover.”
Although a lot is still up in the air, the 44-year-old can assure he’s his Rizin FF bout won’t be his last. Pacquiao plans to continue fighting beyond his one-fight deal with Rizin FF.
Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao appeared on Saturday’s Rizin FF 40 broadcast and announced his intention to compete for the promotion in 2023.
Boxing legend [autotag]Manny Pacquiao[/autotag] appeared on Saturday’s Rizin FF 40 broadcast and announced his intention to compete for the promotion in 2023.
“A few months ago, I was here as a guest and today I have a very exciting announcement tonight,” Pacquiao said during an in-ring appearance. “I have agreed with Rizin to fight next year, the date will soon be announced and also my opponent that Rizin will choose. I’m open and excited to fight a Japanese fighter.”
𝐀 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓…
The Pac-Man, @MannyPacquiao himself will fight in the RIZIN ring in 2023 against a Japanese fighter 🇯🇵!
Manny Pacquiao I sign one fight contract. But I think there is more. I will fight anybody. I want fight who have boxing experience. I know Japanese are good fighters. There is good Japanese boxer like Naoya Inoue. pic.twitter.com/fTmayW7Px5
Pacquiao, 44, and Rizin FF president Nobuyuki Sakakibara announced in front of the crowd at Saitama Super Arena outside Tokyo that the former world champion boxer will step into the Rizin FF ring next year, but did not clarify who or which ruleset under which he will compete.
Pacquiao is not the first legendary boxer to work with Rizin. His longtime rival and one-time opponent Floyd Mayweather has fought in a pair of exhibition bouts with the organization, as well.
Weekend Review: Terence Crawford sizzled, Teofimo Lopez struggled and Manny Pacquiao went through the motions on a busy Saturday.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
BIGGEST WINNER
Terence Crawford delivered a spectacular knockout in his hometown. Ed Zurga / Getty Images
Terence Crawford – Crawford didn’t dominate every moment of his fight against rugged David Avanesyan but he controlled the action throughout and delivered a spectacular sixth-round knockout Saturday in front of his hometown fans in Omaha, Nebraska. In the process, he bolstered his claim on the top pound-for-pound spot. The unflappable welterweight champion boxed patiently in the face of Avanesyan’s constant pressure, fighting behind his jab to gradually set up the brutal ending. The left-right combination to the head of Avanesyan (29-4-1, 17 KOs) put him down and out instantaneously, taking the breath away of fans packed into CHI Health Center and those watching on their devices. Could he have drawn it up any better? If Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs) has slowed down at 35, it certainly hasn’t been evident in recent fights. He has stopped his last 10 opponents. Of course, we’ll see how he does when he faces a next-level foe as he approaches his 36th birthday.
MOST LIMITED
Time remaining in Crawford’s career – Crawford said recently that his legacy won’t be impacted if he never fights fellow titleholder Errol Spence Jr. Wrong. The frustrating, almost tragic aspect of Crawford’s career is that he has had one defining victory in his 14-plus-year career, his knockout of Shawn Porter in November of last year. And even that win arguably was flawed, as Porter seemed to have one foot out of boxing going into the fight. Crawford needs to fight Spence if he wants to prove he’s the best welterweight of the post-Mayweather-Pacquiao era, a distinction all 147-pounders would love to have. Could Crawford-Spence still happen? Crawford said after his victory on Saturday that he’s willing to get back to the negotiating table, which is a good sign. That’s the easy part, though. The sides need to find a way to get it done. If they can’t? We might look back on Crawford’s career, shake our heads and wonder how a truly great fighter managed to retire with so few legitimate tests.
MOST FORTUNATE
Teofimo Lopez – The 140-pound contender was correct when he said it’s difficult to look good against an opponent who runs, his interpretation of opponent Sandor Martin’s tactics on Saturday at Madison Square Garden. However, fighters who believe they’re among the best in the business – and Lopez does – find a way to cut off the ring and take control of a fight against a heavy underdog. Lopez never did. He did enough to win over two judges and have his hand raised but he reminded no one of the juggernaut who became undisputed lightweight champion and crashed the pound-for-pound rankings at 23 before losing to George Kambosos Jr. Was the perception we had of Lopez (18-1, 13 KOs) an illusion? Was he never really as good as we thought? It looks that way at the moment. To be fair, he’s still only 25. A victory over the likes of Josh Taylor or Regis Prograis would make us forget all about his so-so performance on Saturday. I’m just not convinced he could pull that off.
WORST SCORECARD
Pasquale Procopio’s – Martin (40-3, 13 KOs) demonstrated against Lopez that his upset victory over Mikey Garcia last year was no fluke. The quick, athletic Spaniard can box. His strategy was to counter when Lopez attacked and not stay in one place long enough for his favored opponent land punches with any consistency. Neither man got much accomplished. Both of them averaged fewer than 10 punches landed per round, according to CompuBox. But limited success was divided evenly. That’s why judge Pasquale Procopio’s score of 97-92 – eight rounds to two for Lopez – seemed out of line. The same can be said of Max DeLuca’s tally of 96-93. I presume they rewarded Lopez for being the aggressor. The problem was that he didn’t demonstrate effective aggression, which is generally necessary to win rounds. He was frustrated from beginning to end. I thought the 95-94 card of Guido Cavalieri – five rounds apiece, taking into account the second-round knockdown of Lopez – best reflected what occurred in the ring.
MOST LIMITED
Josh Warrington – The now-two-time former 126-pound titleholder is a solid, rugged fighter, nothing more at this stage of the 32-year-old’s career. That was obvious again on Saturday in his hometown of Leeds, England, where Mexican Luis Alberto Lopez outworked him to win a majority decision and the IBF belt. Warrington is now 1-2-1 in his last four fights, the other loss and draw coming against Lopez’s countryman Mauricio Lara last year. That’s a terrible streak. On Saturday Warrington (31-2-1, 8 KOs) had neither the wherewithal nor the punching power to keep the aggressive Lopez (27-2, 15 KOs) off of him, although he performed well in the championship rounds to make it a close fight. His limitations couldn’t have been more obvious. Has Warrington slipped? Or has he always been limited? It’s probably more the former but also the latter. He deserves credit for winning the two belts and beating the likes of Kiko Martinez (MD), Lee Selby (SD), Carl Frampton (UD) and Kid Galahad (SD) but nothing ever came easy for him. Maybe that’s one reason he’s so appealing to his fans. He has had to work hard for everything he gets.
MOST RIDICULOUS?
Manny Pacquiao’s exhibition – If fans want to fork over the $29.99 pay-per-view fee to watch an aging legend take part in an exhibition, then God bless them. We all have our own tastes. Me? I didn’t see value. Pacquiao’s six-round bout with martial artist and social media star DK Yoo was borderline silly, two guys jumping around the ring, throwing punches here and there and generally having a grand time. Yes, Pacquiao landed a few punches. He had to give the fans some semblance of a genuine fight, right? And Yoo, who seemed to tire quickly, went down a few times. You had the feeling that Pacquiao could’ve ended the fight at any moment if he wanted to against an opponent with no experience but he didn’t want to hurt the guy, which is why the fight went the distance. When it ended, my first thought was, “Well, I’m never getting that 17 minutes back.” I honestly don’t get the appeal of these exhibitions.
Weekend Review: Terence Crawford sizzled, Teofimo Lopez struggled and Manny Pacquiao went through the motions on a busy Saturday.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
BIGGEST WINNER
Terence Crawford delivered a spectacular knockout in his hometown. Ed Zurga / Getty Images
Terence Crawford – Crawford didn’t dominate every moment of his fight against rugged David Avanesyan but he controlled the action throughout and delivered a spectacular sixth-round knockout Saturday in front of his hometown fans in Omaha, Nebraska. In the process, he bolstered his claim on the top pound-for-pound spot. The unflappable welterweight champion boxed patiently in the face of Avanesyan’s constant pressure, fighting behind his jab to gradually set up the brutal ending. The left-right combination to the head of Avanesyan (29-4-1, 17 KOs) put him down and out instantaneously, taking the breath away of fans packed into CHI Health Center and those watching on their devices. Could he have drawn it up any better? If Crawford (39-0, 30 KOs) has slowed down at 35, it certainly hasn’t been evident in recent fights. He has stopped his last 10 opponents. Of course, we’ll see how he does when he faces a next-level foe as he approaches his 36th birthday.
MOST LIMITED
Time remaining in Crawford’s career – Crawford said recently that his legacy won’t be impacted if he never fights fellow titleholder Errol Spence Jr. Wrong. The frustrating, almost tragic aspect of Crawford’s career is that he has had one defining victory in his 14-plus-year career, his knockout of Shawn Porter in November of last year. And even that win arguably was flawed, as Porter seemed to have one foot out of boxing going into the fight. Crawford needs to fight Spence if he wants to prove he’s the best welterweight of the post-Mayweather-Pacquiao era, a distinction all 147-pounders would love to have. Could Crawford-Spence still happen? Crawford said after his victory on Saturday that he’s willing to get back to the negotiating table, which is a good sign. That’s the easy part, though. The sides need to find a way to get it done. If they can’t? We might look back on Crawford’s career, shake our heads and wonder how a truly great fighter managed to retire with so few legitimate tests.
MOST FORTUNATE
Teofimo Lopez – The 140-pound contender was correct when he said it’s difficult to look good against an opponent who runs, his interpretation of opponent Sandor Martin’s tactics on Saturday at Madison Square Garden. However, fighters who believe they’re among the best in the business – and Lopez does – find a way to cut off the ring and take control of a fight against a heavy underdog. Lopez never did. He did enough to win over two judges and have his hand raised but he reminded no one of the juggernaut who became undisputed lightweight champion and crashed the pound-for-pound rankings at 23 before losing to George Kambosos Jr. Was the perception we had of Lopez (18-1, 13 KOs) an illusion? Was he never really as good as we thought? It looks that way at the moment. To be fair, he’s still only 25. A victory over the likes of Josh Taylor or Regis Prograis would make us forget all about his so-so performance on Saturday. I’m just not convinced he could pull that off.
WORST SCORECARD
Pasquale Procopio’s – Martin (40-3, 13 KOs) demonstrated against Lopez that his upset victory over Mikey Garcia last year was no fluke. The quick, athletic Spaniard can box. His strategy was to counter when Lopez attacked and not stay in one place long enough for his favored opponent land punches with any consistency. Neither man got much accomplished. Both of them averaged fewer than 10 punches landed per round, according to CompuBox. But limited success was divided evenly. That’s why judge Pasquale Procopio’s score of 97-92 – eight rounds to two for Lopez – seemed out of line. The same can be said of Max DeLuca’s tally of 96-93. I presume they rewarded Lopez for being the aggressor. The problem was that he didn’t demonstrate effective aggression, which is generally necessary to win rounds. He was frustrated from beginning to end. I thought the 95-94 card of Guido Cavalieri – five rounds apiece, taking into account the second-round knockdown of Lopez – best reflected what occurred in the ring.
MOST LIMITED
Josh Warrington – The now-two-time former 126-pound titleholder is a solid, rugged fighter, nothing more at this stage of the 32-year-old’s career. That was obvious again on Saturday in his hometown of Leeds, England, where Mexican Luis Alberto Lopez outworked him to win a majority decision and the IBF belt. Warrington is now 1-2-1 in his last four fights, the other loss and draw coming against Lopez’s countryman Mauricio Lara last year. That’s a terrible streak. On Saturday Warrington (31-2-1, 8 KOs) had neither the wherewithal nor the punching power to keep the aggressive Lopez (27-2, 15 KOs) off of him, although he performed well in the championship rounds to make it a close fight. His limitations couldn’t have been more obvious. Has Warrington slipped? Or has he always been limited? It’s probably more the former but also the latter. He deserves credit for winning the two belts and beating the likes of Kiko Martinez (MD), Lee Selby (SD), Carl Frampton (UD) and Kid Galahad (SD) but nothing ever came easy for him. Maybe that’s one reason he’s so appealing to his fans. He has had to work hard for everything he gets.
MOST RIDICULOUS?
Manny Pacquiao’s exhibition – If fans want to fork over the $29.99 pay-per-view fee to watch an aging legend take part in an exhibition, then God bless them. We all have our own tastes. Me? I didn’t see value. Pacquiao’s six-round bout with martial artist and social media star DK Yoo was borderline silly, two guys jumping around the ring, throwing punches here and there and generally having a grand time. Yes, Pacquiao landed a few punches. He had to give the fans some semblance of a genuine fight, right? And Yoo, who seemed to tire quickly, went down a few times. You had the feeling that Pacquiao could’ve ended the fight at any moment if he wanted to against an opponent with no experience but he didn’t want to hurt the guy, which is why the fight went the distance. When it ended, my first thought was, “Well, I’m never getting that 17 minutes back.” I honestly don’t get the appeal of these exhibitions.
Manny Pacquiao generated smiles but only sporadic action in a lighthearted exhibition with DK Yoo on Saturday in South Korea.
It was for charity.
That’s the best way to defend Manny Pacquiao’s pay-per-view exhibition with martial artist and social media star DK Yoo on Saturday in Seoul, South Korea.
The future Hall of Famer, reportedly 160 pounds, threw some serious punches — putting his inexperienced opponent down a few times — but the matchup of 43-year-olds was mostly fun and games.
It had the feel of a reunion during the introductions, with familiar faces on hand. His wife, his mother, his longtime sidekick Buboy Fernandez, among others.
There were more smiles than you’d see at a comedy club.
Manny Pacquiao on facing Floyd Mayweather Jr in a exhibition fight “I don’t know, cause he’s always changing his decision” pic.twitter.com/h6eASokHhj
The “fight” itself was at best mildly amusing, although Pacquiao seemed to pursue a knockout late in the fight, composed of six two-minute rounds.
He put Yoo down at the final seconds of Round 4 with a flurry of punches, after which the ref seemed to wave off the fight only to change his mind after Yoo protested.
Pacquiao got Yoo’s attention with a few shots in Round 5, which prompted the good spirited Korean fighter to do his version of an Ali shuffle. That elicited a grin from Pacquiao.
Then, in the final round, Pacquiao put Yoo down with what appeared to be a genuinely hard left to the body. Yoo, at least somewhat hurt and exhausted, got up but it was obvious he was hoping to hear the final bell sooner rather than later.
Yoo went down one more time but again managed to get up and then finally did hear the bell to end the exhibition, much to his relief.
Pacquiao was declared the winner by decision but the true winners were the Ukrainian and Filipino charities that benefitted from the event, although some fans probably found pleasure seeing their hero step through the ropes one more time.
Pacquiao, who said he plans to continued training, was asked afterward whether he’d take part in another exhibition next year. He turns 44 on Dec. 17.
He responded, “We’ll see.”
The most lucrative possible matchup would be a rematch with Floyd Mayweather, only in the form of an exhibition. Many have speculated that the money on the table might bring them together one more time.
Pacquiao was asked about that possibility.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I have no idea. He always changes his decision.”
You can bet we’ll see Pacquiao in the ring again even if we’re not familiar with the opponent. He obviously had fun. And he remains dedicated to helping others.
Manny Pacquiao generated smiles but only sporadic action in a lighthearted exhibition with DK Yoo on Saturday in South Korea.
It was for charity.
That’s the best way to defend Manny Pacquiao’s pay-per-view exhibition with martial artist and social media star DK Yoo on Saturday in Seoul, South Korea.
The future Hall of Famer, reportedly 160 pounds, threw some serious punches — putting his inexperienced opponent down a few times — but the matchup of 43-year-olds was mostly fun and games.
It had the feel of a reunion during the introductions, with familiar faces on hand. His wife, his mother, his longtime sidekick Buboy Fernandez, among others.
There were more smiles than you’d see at a comedy club.
Manny Pacquiao on facing Floyd Mayweather Jr in a exhibition fight “I don’t know, cause he’s always changing his decision” pic.twitter.com/h6eASokHhj
The “fight” itself was at best mildly amusing, although Pacquiao seemed to pursue a knockout late in the fight, composed of six two-minute rounds.
He put Yoo down at the final seconds of Round 4 with a flurry of punches, after which the ref seemed to wave off the fight only to change his mind after Yoo protested.
Pacquiao got Yoo’s attention with a few shots in Round 5, which prompted the good spirited Korean fighter to do his version of an Ali shuffle. That elicited a grin from Pacquiao.
Then, in the final round, Pacquiao put Yoo down with what appeared to be a genuinely hard left to the body. Yoo, at least somewhat hurt and exhausted, got up but it was obvious he was hoping to hear the final bell sooner rather than later.
Yoo went down one more time but again managed to get up and then finally did hear the bell to end the exhibition, much to his relief.
Pacquiao was declared the winner by decision but the true winners were the Ukrainian and Filipino charities that benefitted from the event, although some fans probably found pleasure seeing their hero step through the ropes one more time.
Pacquiao, who said he plans to continued training, was asked afterward whether he’d take part in another exhibition next year. He turns 44 on Dec. 17.
He responded, “We’ll see.”
The most lucrative possible matchup would be a rematch with Floyd Mayweather, only in the form of an exhibition. Many have speculated that the money on the table might bring them together one more time.
Pacquiao was asked about that possibility.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I have no idea. He always changes his decision.”
You can bet we’ll see Pacquiao in the ring again even if we’re not familiar with the opponent. He obviously had fun. And he remains dedicated to helping others.
Analysis: Are Tim Bradley, Carl Froch and Rafael Marquez worthy of election to the Hall of Fame?
Strong cases can be made that the three male fighters in the International Boxing Hall of Fame Class of 2023 – Tim Bradley, Carl Froch and Rafael Marquez – deserve the honor.
At the same time, it isn’t the strongest class in recent years. Bradley, Froch and Marquez were among the most-accomplished fighters of their eras but not obvious choices – like Floyd Mayweather or Bernard Hopkins, for example — for the Hall of Fame.
They had impressive, but far from perfect resumes.
Here are arguments for and against the newest members of the Hall, who will be formally inducted in June at the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, which is in upstate New York.
Note: The Hall made the announcement of their election on Wednesday.
TIM BRADLEY (33-2-1, 13 KOs)
FOR
Bradley wasn’t a powerful puncher but had elite ability, worked as hard as anyone in the sport and was durable. And the only fighter who beat was one of the greatest ever. He won five world titles in two divisions, for what that’s worth in an era of far too many belts. He also defeated a long list of elite opponents. He had an impressive stretch between 2007 and 2013, when his victims included Miguel Vazquez, Junior Witter, Kendall Holt, Nate Campbell, Lamont Peterson, Devon Alexander, Joel Casamayor, a still-formidable Manny Pacquiao, Ruslan Provodnikov and Juan Manuel Marquez. The victory over Marquez might’ve been the best of his career. Few fighters of the generation could match that impressive run.
AGAINST
The vast majority of observers thought Bradley was given a gift split decision against Pacquiao in their first fight (in 2012), which can’t be ignored. The Filipino star deserved the victory. And Pacquiao won both the rematch – which followed the Marquez victory – and their third fight by wide decisions (2014 and 2016). The fact is Bradley was never the same after the Marquez fight (2013), going 2-2-1 to close out his career when he was still young (30-32). He retired after losing his third fight with Pacquiao in 2016. The brutal, toe-to-toe brawl with Provodnikov in 2013 might’ve shortened his career.
IS HE WORTHY OF THE HONOR?
Yes
CARL FROCH (33-2, 24 KOs)
FOR
Froch wasn’t exceptionally quick or athletic but he was a clever boxer with formidable punching power and an abundance of confidence, which took the Englishman a long way. He was a three-time super middleweight titleholder between 2008 and 2015, making him one of the most consistent 168-pounders of his era. During that stretch, he defeated Jean Pascal (to win his first title), Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Arthur Abraham, Glen Johnson, Lucian Bute, Mikkel Kessler (rematch) and George Groves (twice). His only losses came against the capable Kessler in their first fight and future Hall of Famer Andre Ward. He delivered a classic mic drop in 2014, when he knocked out Groves with one punch in front of 80,000 at Wembley Stadium and then retired.
AGAINST
Ward exposed Froch’s limitations, outclassing him to win what should’ve been a wide decision in the championship match of the Super Six World Boxing Classic tournament )2011. It seemed in that fight that Ward was great, Froch merely good. Of course, it might not be fair to compare Froch with Ward, who finished his career with a perfect record and arguably is one of the greatest boxers of all time. The loss to Kessler (2010) doesn’t help his case but there’s no shame in it. Kessler was an excellent all-around fighter. And Froch avenged the loss convincingly, meaning he beat everyone he fought except Ward.
IS HE WORTHY OF THE HONOR?
Yes
RAFAEL MARQUEZ (41-9, 37 KOs)
FOR
Marquez wasn’t as skillful as his more-celebrated brother and fellow Hall of Famer, Juan Manuel Marquez, but the Mexican was an excellent boxer with a never-say-die warrior spirit and one-punch knockout power to go with it. He had a four-year run as a bantamweight titleholder and also won a junior featherweight belt. He’s best known for his historic four-fight series with Israel Vazquez between 2007 and 2010 – they each won twice — but he had a number of other important victories. Among them: He defeated fellow Hall of Famer Mark Johnson (twice), Mauricio Pastrana (twice) and previously unbeaten Tim Austin (to win his first title).
AGAINST
Marquez didn’t have as many quality victories as some other Hall of Famers. Plus, he and Marquez weren’t the same fighters for their fourth meeting, in part the result of the brutality of the first three. It had the feel of an old-timers game. Vazquez won two of the three meetings that should count most, once by knockout. He stopped Vazquez twice, in the first and fourth fights. He also was only 9-4 in world title fights. And, finally, Marquez, who retired at 34, struggled down the final stretch of his career: He went 4-6 in his final 10 fights. He shouldn’t be judged too harshly because of that; many great fighters have stumbled into retirement.
