Washed up after one punch – the unglamorous decline of Manny Pacquiao

01/22/2013 ESB

pac342 by Anthony Jeffrey – When is a boxer really ‘washed up’? It seems to be a common expression used in the boxing world after a top class fighter takes a beating, most likely for the first time in his career; gets knocked out and isn’t the same afterwards; or just isn’t as good as he was a couple of years earlier.

In late 2008, after crushing Oscar de la Hoya, against the odds, it seemed as if we would never see the day that the invincible Manny Pacquiao be referred to as ‘washed up’. Yet after a being on the receiving end of a dodgy split decision and perfectly placed punch it seems like he has been placed in the same dreaded category as fighters who continue to participate in freak shows of fights because they didn’t manage their finances properly during their prime.

Boxing fans can be the most critical yet fickle and narrow minded amongst sports fans. Fighters, and indeed other boxing fans, are subjected to fierce and often childish criticism all over boxing websites and social media platforms. However, in a sport where some of the contributing factors of a boxer’s worth are nationality, popularity, and pre-fight hype, this is not overly surprising: Miguel Cotto was on top of the world until his loss to Antonio Margarito turned the tables and left him being labelled washed up. Ironically, Shane Mosley was already universally considered washed up before he sent Margarito flying from his perch to the canvas. But even after inheriting the throne, in terms of fight fan hype, Mosley’s renaissance was short lived when a subsequent beating from Floyd Mayweather has now left him eternally washed up.

Arum: The taxes are too high in U.S for Pacquiao to fight there

01/23/201301/22/2013 ESB

By Rob Smith: Manny Pacquiao may have fought for the last time in the United States last December in his 6th round knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum is railing against the high taxes in the United States now, which Arum feels is making it impossible for Manny – and other foreign fighters – to compete in the United States.

Arum will make it easier for Marquez to KO Pacquiao in September

01/23/201301/20/2013 ESB

By Rob Smith: If you had any doubts about who will be winning the fifth fight between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez this September, you can erase those doubts and lean in the direction of Marquez to beat Manny again.

Arum excited about Mexico City for Pacquiao-Marquez 5 fight

01/18/2013 ESB

arum4 By Rob Smith: Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is enthusiastic about placing the Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez fifth fight inside a new arena in Mexico City, Mexico. The arena holds 18,000 and Arum believes it’s an ideal location for the Pacquiao-Marquez fight to take place. He expects Americans to come and watch the Pacquiao-Marquez fight, but it’s going to be real test to see if that happens.

Arum said to ringtv “Mexico City has a beautiful arena in Mexico City…It’s bigger than the MGM [Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada]. It’s a state of the art facility. They just built it…it’s a safe area.”

That’s a long trip for U.S boxing fans to take just to see Pacquiao and Marquez fight. There’s also the danger of traveling in Mexico. Right now the country has an ongoing drug war going on and it’s potentially risky to travel there. U.S fans obviously want to see Pacquiao and Marquez again, but is it worth the risk? Does Arum have a body guard in Mexico? I would be afraid to travel their myself even with a body guard.

Arum: Pacquiao doesn’t want to fight Marquez in U.S because he’d have to pay high taxes

01/17/2013 ESB

arum453 By Rob Smith: Bob Arum says Manny Pacquiao will be looking to fight Juan Manuel Marquez outside of the United States for their fifth fight in September to escape the high taxes in the country. Pacquiao and Marquez both want to avoid the taxes for this fight, and Arum is planning on staging it in Mexico in Mexico City.

Arum said to ringtv “Pacquiao doesn’t want to fight in the United States because he’d have to give close to 40% [in taxes] to the government…They [Pacquiao and Marquez] would prefer for the fight not to be in the United States. That’s what happens when you raise taxes and you say ‘Well, let the rich pay.’”

That sounds like a good move for Arum, Pacquiao and Marquez. If they can get the U.S pay per view money tax free, then more power to them. They’re probably saving a bundle by making this move, and who knows how much time those guys have left in their careers. One more knockout loss for Pacquiao and it could be over, and Marquez will be 40-years-old by the time he faces Pacquiao for their fifth fight in September.

Juan Manuel Marquez to continue fighting

01/17/201301/14/2013 ESB

By Bill Phanco: Former four division world champion Juan Manuel Marquez (55-6-1, 40 KO’s) has decided to continue fighting after meeting with his wife and children to help him make the decision, according to fightnews.com. Marquez, 39, wasn’t sure whether he should continue his 20-year pro career after knocking his old nemesis Manny Pacquiao out in the 6th round last month in their fourth fight.

But the lure of big money in a fifth fight with Pacquiao proved to be too much for Marquez, and he went with what many boxing fans would agree is the smart choice by continuing to fight at least for the remainder of 2013. Marquez made $3 million guaranteed for the fourth fight with Pacquiao, and he should make considerably more next time around.

Bob Arum of Top Rank is targeting September as the month that he’d like to put Pacquiao and Marquez back together again. However, if they choose September 14th it might hurt the pay per view numbers because Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez are scheduled to be fighting on that date, possibly against each other. It would be a disaster for all if Arum decides to put the Pacquiao-Marquez 5th fight on the same date.

Pacquiao’s April fight still heading for Asia

09/14/201601/13/2013 ESB

pac62 By Rob Smith: It still looks like Manny Pacquiao’s April fight will be staged in Asia, although Manila has been ruled out according to Philboxing.com. Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz says they’re interested in putting Pacquiao’s fight in one of the following countries: Abu Dubai, Macau and Singapore.

There still isn’t an opponent picked out but Top Rank has 9 guys they’re looking at with the leading candidate being Vyacheslav Senchenko. The other notable fighters under consideration are Top Rank fighters Jessie Vargas and Brandon Rios. Senchenko is ideal because he was recently stopped by the light hitting Paulie Malignaggi, who was able to stop him by jabbing him all night long.

What Pacquiao probably doesn’t need is an opponent that will test his chin in any way and possibly KO him. A loss to in this tune-up fight would likely make it difficult for Top Rank promoter Bob Arum to sell a rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez this September. Pacquiao was knocked out viciously by Marquez last December in a fight where Pacquiao was knocked unconscious in the 6th round from a right hand from Marquez.

Roach: Pacquiao doesn’t need a tune-up fight in April

09/14/201601/13/2013 ESB

roach33 By Rob Smith: Trainer Freddie Roach doesn’t see the point of Manny Pacquiao taking a tune-up fight in April against a still to be determined opponent. Roach believes that Pacquiao is fighting at such a high level now that a tune-up fight would serve no purpose in helping him.

Roach said in an interview at fighthub.tv “They’re talking about a fight in April in Macau right now, a tune-up with Manny. I really don’t want a tune-up right now. I don’t think a fighter like Pacquiao needs a tune-up fight. Manny was fighting the best fight [against Juan Manuel Marquez] I’ve seen in a long time.”

Roach sounds like an old school trainer. I’m not sure that he fully understands how badly Pacquiao was knocked out by Marquez last month in Manny’s 6th round knockout loss. Pretty much anyone that saw that knockout would have serious concerns about Pacquiao getting back in the ring only four months later.

A knockout like that could lead to Pacquiao getting hurt easier in his next fight, and you kind of want to take the cautious approach.

Pacquiao’s 3 Best Options For His Comeback Fight

09/15/201601/12/2013 ESB

pac562 By Johnathan Culver: How does Manny Pacquiao regain status as an elite fighter and as a top-ten pound-for-pound fighter? He needs to fight a credible, respectable opponent, but also, he needs to WIN the fight. I’m a serious fan of Manny Pacquiao, but I don’t believe his next fight should or will be a pay-per-view-fight. I believe Pacquiao’s next fight will be televised live on the American premium cable/satellite TV network HBO, but I don’t think it should be a pay-per-view fight.

I give Manny Pacquiao a lot of credit for fighting top-ten, pound-for-pound fighters in his last 3 fights – Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez twice. Pacquiao was competitive in his last 3 fights, but he didn’t dominate those fights and he didn’t win all of them. So where does Pacquiao go from here, after this low point in his career? I think Pacquiao should fight a rematch with Timothy Bradley for 3 reasons – Bradley has a world title, he is a (relatively) light puncher and he is an elite fighter, on the top-ten pound-for-pound list of many boxing writers and publications.

Pacquiao & Marquez to choose between Senchenko and Vargas for April tune-up fights

01/13/201301/12/2013 ESB

By Rob Smith: Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez are being given the choice of between Jessie Vargas and Vyacheslav Senchenko for their tune-up fights next April. Pacquiao will be fighting on April 13th, and he reportedly will be given the first pick of the two, according to Manila Bulletin, and Marquez will be selecting whichever fighter is left over.