During these trying times, the sports world is adjusting to the Coronavirus with strict protocols to try and stop the spread of the virus such as staying in a bubble and not allowing fans to watch events live in person.
The NBA and MLB have continued their seasons and other sports are looking to follow suit.
Boxing and MMA have already put on events and it looks like more and more boxing events will be put on as the months go by.
Some of the biggest stars in the sport like Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Canelo Alvarez and Manny Pacquiao usually command a huge fight fee but with no audience in attendance these super stars will likely have to rely on Pay-Per-View buys and sponsorships to make the type of money they demand.
Pacquiao is the biggest star of all the currently active fighters and even though he is 41 years old he is still competing with the top guys in the welterweight division.
Last July, Pacquiao dismantled and outboxed the ten years younger Keith Thurman handing him his first professional defeat and claiming the WBA world title in the process.
On the Keep it Clean with Manny Robles podcast, the top boxing trainer gave his opinion on upcoming fights and touched on the greatness of the current WBA welterweight champion Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao.
Robles is best known for working the corner of Andy Ruiz when he filled in last minute to fight Anthony Joshua in New York.
Ruiz pulled off one of the most shocking upsets in boxing history when he stopped the British favorite to become first Mexican-American heavyweight champion of the world.
Robles still believes Pacquiao can bring in a large audience anywhere he goes because he is loved universally by people around the world.
“Filipino fans love Manny Pacquiao so much they’ll travel anyplace, anywhere to go watch this guy fight. He can fight in TJ (Tijuana) and Filipinos will show up,” Robles said on the Keep it Clean podcast. “Outside of Filipino fans, Manny Pacquiao is a fan favorite and Mexican fans, Mexican-American fans, he’s got obviously the Filipino fans, fans in general, this guys got fans all over the world.
Robles also believes Pacquiao won the hearts of the people because he was willing to fight anybody and win or lose he gave his all each time he stepped into the ring.
“He’s an incredible fighter. To me he is one of the top fighters. He will go down as one of the top fighters in the world when he retires,” said Robles. “He’s done so much inside and outside the ring. For the sport and outside of the sport. We all know he has a huge heart and he’s looking out for his people, his community and he’s a politician now.
“He’s fought some of the best fighters in the world. He came up short against Floyd Mayweather, but he pretty much fought everybody. He’s won most, lost a few. Again, as I always say in boxing, two things: it’s not winning, it’s how you win and how you get it done and it’s the same thing with losing, sometimes you lose but it’s how you lose. Sometimes you go up there and you give a hell of a fight and you really don’t lose because when you gain the fans respect the way Manny Pacquiao has because even when he comes up short in a fight, he always gives it 100, you can’t help but to cheer for that guy. The fights with Juan Manuel Marquez were great, incredible fights, crowd pleasing fights, they always went at it. Obviously, as I said he has never ran away from anybody. He has fought the best. He is a beast.”
