Filipino boxing legend Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao has been on a great run in the sport lately.
Even at his advanced years.
After an entertaining bout last night where Shawn Porter pushed undefeated and now WBC and IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence all the way in a close split decision win for the Texan, a logical fight between Spence and Pacquiao is what many want to see next.
Of course, a Spence vs Crawford fight is the one everyone wants to see next but realistically it’s not happening straight away due to promotional and network differences.
If boxing fans were pushed to see a fight not including Crawford most of them would probably like to see Spence take on Pacquiao next.
Indeed, that’s what the man himself wants too:
But this is boxing where politics and strategy like a high level game of chess always take precedence.
Both Pacquiao and Spence are advised by the game guy, Al Haymon.
I doubt Al will want to stick Pacquiao in there with Spence just yet given Pacquiao’s return to form which still leaves open the possibility of a Mayweather vs Pacquiao rematch, even as old as both guys are (due to the cash windfall it would create, namely), next year some time.
Or even still, a fight between Pacquiao against another PBC fighter like Danny Garcia or Shawn Porter live on Fox in the new year.
Al must be having a good laugh today with some of the moves he’s made over the years in terms of taking over the welterweight division with his boxers.
And to be fair, fans are getting rewarded with some superb match ups like last night. So there’s no complaints really.
Sadly, the only loser in this welterweight bonanza so far is the supremely talented and gifted Terence Crawford.
Eventually he’ll have to get his shot at one of the PBC and Haymon top welterweights though.
He just has to keep winning.
He must surely be thinking to himself about signing with PBC or buying himself out of his contract now given how frozen out he’s become.
Alternatively, his promoters really need to sit down with Haymon properly to get him one of these big fights in a dual promotion on ESPN and Fox done.
That could easily be done too if people sat down and talked some sense with one another.
Belts aside, which mean very little in boxing anymore really, people know Crawford is one of the best pound for pound fighters on Earth and he must fight the other top welterweights at some point to prove he is the best.
All in all, as things stand, the welterweight division is now locked down by Al Haymon.
Good show old man. Well played.
