Pacquiao-Mayweather Fight Looking Dim, Pacman Considering Moving Down In Weight Class
Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. must be getting tired of hearing each other's names during every press conference for their fights.
During the San Francisco leg of the media tour for his upcoming fight against Chris Algieri, Pacquiao, also known as The Pacman, was again bombarded with questions of the potential super fight. He just referenced Mayweather during a phone interview with Yahoo Sports as "The one we don't mention." He definitely wants to move on and avoid any questions Mayweather-related. In fact, he is contemplating a bigger move-- moving down in weight.
"I could make either weight, 135 or 140, easily," Pacquiao said. "It would be easy for me. I am at 147 because that's where the action is in terms of the opponent, but it wouldn't be hard."
The only eight division world champion has been fighting at the catch-weight of 147 for the past few years only because the cream of the crop in boxing is in that division and that there was speculation that the dream match with Mayweather will happen if he moved up. With all that looking dim, Pacquiao is seriously considering going down and looking for the next big thing in boxing in the lower weight class.
The Nov. 22 fight against Algieri in Macau is being contested at a catch weight of 144 pounds. Pacquiao's mentor and world class trainer Freddie Roach expressed his desire to move down the agreed weight at 140 in order to put both Algieri's WBO super lightweight belt as well as the contested Pacquaio's WBO welterweight belt.
"Manny hasn't really carried his power up with him to 147, but he is a very big puncher at 140," Roach said of Pacquiao. "It's a much better weight for him, to be honest with you. He would hurt guys at 140."
The last time Manny Pacquiao, the congressman of Sarangani weighed less than 145 in bouts was in 2009 when he fought Ricky Hatton and registered a pre-fight weight of 138. Ideally, Roach would like Pacquiao to go back to his real devastating weight and punish opponents but with the way he has been dismantling boxers at any division, there is no telling what real weight class the Filipino boxer would be best.
Pacquiao's diversity in weight class not only stands in boxing but also in real life. He was recently drafted no. 11 in the Philippine Basketball Association last Sunday. Aside from being a professional cager, he is also set to become the coach of the Kia Motors squad. Aside from all these, he is also a lawmaker, an actor, a singer, a television host and a pastor.
For more Manny Pacquiao news, read more at IBT Sports.