Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao has made it clear that he will not retire from boxing, and should he defeat the Argentine knockout artist Lucas Matthysse on July 15 to capture the WBA regular welterweight championship, he would like to face the man many boxing pundits regard as the best pound for pound boxer today, Vasyl Lomachenko.
This is a super fight that promoter Bob Arum said could make sense since both fighters are similar in size and skill.
The main issue coming from Lomachenko would be the weight limit since he fights at a smaller weight division than Pacquiao it would mean the two would have to find a middle ground to make it happen.
Lomachenko said a 135 or 137 pound catchweight is the best option for a possible showdown with Filipino ring legend Manny Pacquiao.
He told the reporters at his media day in Oxnard, California that he can’t move up to 140 pounds because it is not his weight.
Right now he’s focused on his May 12 lightweight division debut against Jorge Linares for the WBA championship of the world.
If Pacquiao and Lomachenko do meet in the ring, it would be an intriguing fight between the old and the new.
Both combatants use lots of movement and speed but the weight cut to below 140 pounds and the age of Pacquiao could be a disadvantage for the elder statesman, and the youth of Lomachenko could be the key in this dream match between the two southpaw dynamos.
If the fight doesn’t get made, the two have viable options in their own divisions.
Lomachenko could fight undefeated WBC lightweight Mikey Garcia who just vacated the 140 pound IBF strap he won against Sergey Lipinets in March opting to go back down to 135 to defend his WBC title instead.
Pacquiao has a stacked welterweight division of young hungry lions awaiting him if he wins on July 15, he can fight the WBC, WBA Super champion Keith Thurman or the feared IBF champion Errol Spence Jr. or former two division champion Danny Garcia.
