July 19 is set to be an incredible day for boxing. Not only will Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois face off for undisputed glory at Wembley, but several other high-profile boxers will be in action, including Bam Rodriguez, Sebastian Fundora, Isaac Cruz and more. But a 46-year-old may be the one who steals all the headlines.
Manny Pacquiao, the legendary Filipino fight, will make a stunning return to professional boxing. It won’t be a simple return either, as he will face Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight championship. Although the odds have begun closing a bit, Pacquiao is still a big underdog, which is to be expected given his long layoff and the age disparity. What Pacquiao is doing could be dangerous, and it sounds like he’s aware of the risks; not only for his health, but for his legacy as well.
Manny Pacquiao is scared of ruining his legacy in Mario Barrios fight
While speaking to BBC just a few days before the big fight, Pacquiao admitted that he’s scared of what could happen in the bout.
I’m worried for my reputation. But I’m making sure that I’m not a kind of fighter like other fighters that come back but they are not showing what they did before. I want to prove to the fans that Manny Pacquiao is still there… I’m excited for this fight.
It sounds like more than his own health, Pacquiao is more concerned about tarnishing his reputation. He doesn’t want to put on a poor performance, simply because he doesn’t want to disappoint his fans.
That kind of affinity for his supporters is what has earned him so much fanfare throughout his career. Putting a stamp on his legacy with a win on Saturday could be the ultimate exit from the sport, or the start of more history.
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