Remember how awesome it was when Manny Pacquiao was led to the ring at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas after Errol Spence dominated Mikey Garcia? The young lion, Spence, issued the respectful challenge to the legend, Pacquiao, and the legend accepted...well, he kinda, sorta accepted with a “Why not?” But it was awesome nonetheless.
For a few days afterwards, fans and media speculated on the possible passing of the torch clash between the two warriors. And, best of all, with both fighters working under the Premier Boxing Champions banner, there’d be no will-they, won’t-they, could-they, would-they drama about getting this one signed, sealed, and delivered.
The only detail is-- Team Pacquiao ain’t biting.
In the days that followed the Cowboys Stadium encounter, Pacquiao distanced himself from the fight and dismissed the legitimacy of Spence’s challenge by questioning the IBF welterweight champ’s power and comparing his threat level to that of 2001 TKO victim, super bantamweight Lehlo Ledwaba. As a matter of fact, in a “Who Should I Fight Next” poll posted via Pacquiao’s own verified Twitter account on March 22, Spence wasn’t even listed as one of the four choices.
And now, members of Pacquiao’s trusted inner circle are flat-out brushing off the possibilities of a Spence fight.
“Manny has nothing to prove against Spence,” said Pacquiao’s senior trainer and longtime confidante Buboy Fernandez at a recent awards ceremony in the Philippines. “It’s not that we’re ducking Spence. It’s just that the priority is Mayweather and we don’t want to spoil the chance of a rematch. I think the rematch will happen. The fans want it. Everyone wants to find out if Manny, with two good arms, can beat Mayweather.”
Yes, Team Pacquiao is still on the Floyd Mayweather rematch kick and, of course, with a nice nine-figure payday to be had from a mega-fight return bout, nobody can blame them for that. But if Mayweather can’t be nudged back into the ring, it’s not like Team Pacquiao is burning to go after the best of the best in the present tense welterweight scene.
And while Spence is not a concern and Terence Crawford is an unmentionable, Keith Thurman, the other elite 147-pounder on the scene, is also, apparently, not a frontrunner for Manny’s attention. Instead, at least according to Fernandez, Danny Garcia is the go-to opponent if Manny can’t get Floyd.
“Fans like a match-up between a Filipino and Latino more than a Filipino and an American,” said Fernandez. “I think there will be more pay-per-view buys for Manny against Garcia than Manny against Thurman or Spence.”
Pacquiao-Garcia is by no stretch of the imagination a turd-oozing craptacular. Garcia has come up short in recent bouts against fellow high-end welters and has frustrated with an overall lack of offensive output, but the Philadelphia-born-and-raised Puerto Rican has elite-level skills, a solid resume, and a name that still draws TV ratings and puts asses in seats. He’s also still in his physical prime and if a main stage showcase against Pacquiao doesn’t light a fire under his ass, nothing will (although many said the same thing about Adrien Broner before he went through the motions in a snoozer against Pacquiao back in January).
In short, Pacquiao-Garcia is good. It’s just not Pacquiao-Spence or Pacquiao-Thurman good. And it’s certainly nowhere near as meaningful as either of those fights.
So, what do the fans root for in this possible final act of the Manny Pacquiao show? An old-timers’ mega-money night of legends against Mayweather or a closing number against a young buck in Garcia whose star is a bit tarnished?
Maybe the optimist holds out for a third option-- a competitive itch in the gut of the Filipino icon, overruling the common sense matchmaking laid out for him, and a desire to go out with guns blazing against one of the very best at 147.