There is something special about Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao and the way he defies boxing logic.
Normally a highly offensive fighter who enjoys going toe to toe with opponents doesn’t last long in the sport of boxing mainly because of the wars in the ring that take a toll on ones body.
Pacquiao is different, he is an offensive fighter who is still fighting top level opposition and holding a title at the age of 41 all while being the smaller man.
What is also impressive is how many weight classes he went up and still fought toe to toe with much bigger foes with no fear.
Pacquiao started at 106 pounds and went all the way up to 150 pounds and walked down much bigger men and took their punches while making them runaway from his power and onslaught.
When the Filipino champion fought Keith Thurman, I thought he would finally lose and retire because of how powerful and strong the unbeaten Thurman was, he was also younger and in his prime.
Pacquiao took all the power shots and even hurt and dropped the 30-year-old WBA welterweight champion giving him his first professional loss and taking the title from him.
Thurman before the fight was talking a lot of trash about Pacquiao, claiming he was washed up, he had small T-Rex arms, that his power wasn’t much and he was already old.
The young lion paid the price for being arrogant to a legend and got dropped in the first round and hurt in to the body and he couldn’t hurt the Pac-Man.
What happened to Thurman could happen to Errol Spence Jr. or Terence Crawford if they fight Pacquiao and take him lightly.
The fight everyone in the boxing world wants to see is a showdown between the two undefeated American welterweight champions Terence Crawford (WBO) and Errol Spence Jr (WBC/IBF) but that fight may never happen because if either guy faces Pacquiao next there is a high probability that they could lose to the Filipino ring legend and it could derail the Spence vs. Crawford super-fight.
If I were Spence or Crawford, I would stop chasing Pacquiao for now and just put aside differences, hope that the COVID-19 pandemic goes away and make the fight happen because if either guy loses to Pacquiao it would hurt the build up and hype of the fight. The winner can have Pacquiao for a massive payday and chance to become undisputed at welterweight.
