Manny Pacquiao refuses to stay retired and rumors about his return to the ring are growing stronger. At 46 years of age, the former eight-division world champion seems determined to come back in force, and not just for one last fight, as was originally supposed.
This was confirmed by the president of the World Boxing Council (WBC), Mauricio Sulaiman, who revealed that ‘Pacman’ will face Mario Barrios for the welterweight title on July 19
The announcement surprised both fans and analysts, who are now wondering what will happen if Pacquiao wins the belt, as it is not known how much longer he could remain active or who his future rivals would be.
However, during a press conference in Las Vegas, Pacquiao said he will make decisions about his future after the fight with Barrios, leaving the door open to the option of facing big names such as Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney and even Gervonta Davis.
When is Manny Pacquiao vs Gervonta Davis fight?
This last possibility has especially caught the attention of fans, who are already speculating about a fight between the Filipino veteran and the undefeated Davis, known as “Tank”.
With the growing expectation for Pacquiao’s return, Jeff Mayweather, former boxer and uncle of Floyd Mayweather, spoke about a possible duel between Pacquiao and Davis, raising the question of the agreed weight.
“What weight are they going to fight at? I think that’s going to influence a lot. Isn’t Pacquiao going to fight Barrios at 147 pounds or something like that?”, Jeff asked, stressing that Gervonta Davis has never fought above super lightweight.
Davis, currently at the peak of his career, would be the clear betting favorite due to his youth and fitness. However, Pacquiao, despite the inactivity and age difference, as he is 16 years older than Davis, has a long experience on the big stage.
Who is the favorite in Pacquiao vs Davis?
Despite the favoritism towards Davis, Jeff Mayweather believes that the outlook is not as clear as it seems, especially after the American’s most recent performance
In March, Gervonta Davis had a tough fight against Lamont Roach Jr., which ended in a majority draw, leaving doubts about his performance.
“I think most would have thought that Pacquiao would have no chance, if it wasn’t for that bad performance by Tank,” said Mayweather. “After that fight, believe me, there will be a lot of people who will say that Manny Pacquiao has a chance,” he concluded.
For now, nothing is confirmed, but the possible return of Pacquiao and his willingness to face the best of today is one of the most relevant topics in the boxing world.
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