I guess 40 is the new 30, especially if your name is Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao.
The eight-division world boxing champion has made it clear that he wants to fight all the best fighters at welterweight.
If Floyd Mayweather refuses to honor his word on giving Pacquiao a rematch, then he will face off against any of the top welterweights on the PBC roster.
Even before his dominant one-sided victory of Adrien ‘The Problem’ Broner, he called out all the young lions in the division.
You have fighters like Keith Thurman, Errol Spence Jr., Mikey Garcia, Shawn Porter as possible challenges for the Filipino boxing legend.
While these guys were hesitant to fight each other, this old lion is willing to step up to the plate and show these youngsters how it’s done.
Pacquiao is the last of a dying breed, a true throwback to the sport willing to fight anyone.
He has that warrior mentality and doesn’t let his job as a Senator in the Philippines hold him back from making time to train for world championship boxing matches.
These younger fighters who have no other jobs except to fight have no excuses not to deliver dynamic performances in the ring.
A full-time politician like Manny Pacquiao with limited time can make time to train and give his all on fight night at the age of 40 then there should be no excuses from these young fighters not to give their all.
Realistically Pacquiao will have a hard night out with any of the top guys. You cant count him out but it will be a real amazing feat if he could even beat one of them at this stage of his career.
If he can beat all of them you have to rank him higher than Floyd Mayweather Jr. on the all-time great list for sure because Mayweather is busy cherry picking and fighting MMA fighters (Conor McGregor) and undersized kickboxers (Tenshin Nasukawa) instead of dangerous young boxers.
Pacquiao doesn’t cherry pick he lets his promoter line them up and he fights them. When Pacman retires he’ll be missed, there will never be another like him.
Erwin Lastimosa is a long time boxing fan and enjoys boxing discussion with his peers. Some of his favorite fighters are Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, Muhammad Ali, Flash Elorde, Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao.