Manny Pacquiao’s future: What lies next for one of boxing’s greatest?

Manny Pacquiao’s future: What lies next for one of boxing’s greatest?

With Manny Pacquiao’s recent victory over Chris Algieri and previous victory over Timothy Bradley to regain the WBO welterweight title, many wonder what will come next for one of boxing’s greatest figures.

Like many in his position, Pacquiao has used his fame and fortune to expand his focus to numerous areas including basketball, politics, acting and singing. But at age 35 and with a record of 57-5-2, with 38 KOs, Pacquiao may not be ready to hang up the gloves just yet. After all, why should he?

Pacquiao has provided the world with spectacular and exciting fights since 1995. He has faced some of the profession’s toughest and most skilled boxers and has come out ahead. But most importantly, he has never dodged a fight, even when he knows it may lead to his demise. It is possible that some of this confidence is what has led him to expand his focus into other areas of his life. Either way, Pacquiao is a man with a list of accolades and a full plate.

Pacquiao started his political career when he first ran for congressional representative in 2007. He lost that election but went on to win in 2010. Since then he has represented various districts and parties. Like many of his superstar counterparts in the US, he does not seem deterred from his political career. The Filipino people have very high regard for him and it would not be completely out of the question as to whether he would run for higher office in the future, including President. The question, of course, would be when and could he handle boxing at the same time if he was still fighting.

The Filipino superstar has also ventured into singing and acting, but not with much success. Pacquiao started acting in 2000 and singing in 2006. He has appeared in numerous movies and sitcoms. Although he deserves credit for giving a completely new trade a try, no one expects him to be the next Jamie Foxx or Adele. His acting and singing career can be seen as nothing more than extracurricular activities at this point and nothing that will definitely change the course in years to come. In addition to his appearance on stage, he has also tried to show his moves on the court.

Since 2009, Pacquiao has been playing basketball as a form of cross training. In 2011, he was picked 11th overall in the Filipino Basketball Association by the Kia basketball team. Pacquiao’s long time trainer and friend Freddie Roach says he does not like him playing basketball because he feels that he could get hurt on the court and eventually affect his boxing. But Roach knows that nothing is going to keep Pacquiao from his goals and that he is going to do what he wants. Although Pacquiao’s debut into basketball has helped spur his team and the sport, his playing ability leaves little doubt as to whether he will ever leave boxing for it. The most crucial focus of Pacquiao’s future is in boxing, what he will do and especially who he will fight next.

Pacquiao originally started fighting at flyweight and has since moved all the way to junior middleweight. One thing that is almost guaranteed is that Pacquiao will heed Roach’s advice and move back down to 140 pounds and take on the next challengers in his career. With a style like Pacquiao’s, one can only imagine what a fight with the likes of Lucas Matthysse or Danny Garcia would bring to the fans. Pacquiao is a fight-of-the-night boxer who does not duck challengers no matter the cost. This type of attitude has won him numerous awards including three-time The Ring BWAA Fighter of the Year. Other contenders could include Lamont Peterson, Ruslan Provodnikov, Mike Alvarado and Adrien Broner. For Pacquiao, the sky is the limit. But there is still one more opponent that everyone wants him to fight.

The question as to whether Floyd Mayweather vs. Pacquiao will ever develop has been looming for years. This would truly be a test for both and it would finally prove who is the best ever. Both sides have gone back and forth and blamed each other on drug testing and managerial issues. Most believe that Mayweather simply does not want to risk losing his perfect record and his legacy by fighting Pacquiao.

Mayweather called out Pacquiao while being interviewed on Showtime. But fight fans have heard Mayweather “call out” Pacquiao only to say people need to stop putting words in his mouth. But Mayweather was quoted during the post fight press conference as saying, “Manny Pacquiao, yes you’re next.” While people who loosely follow the sport got excited to see the interview, real fight fans know not to let the “announcement” fool them.

– Nader Gamez
Contributor for BehindTheGloves.com