Amidst suggestions from Eddie Hearn that WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr is running away from a big fight with rival 147 pound champ Jaron “Boots” Ennis – with Norman’s team saying this is not the case at all and that he is in fact very much interested in the fight – fans may not like what Norman has had to say about him wanting to fight Manny Pacquiao.
Norman, speaking with Sean Zittel, said he is very interested in seeing how Pacquiao gets on in his July fight with defending WBC welterweight champ Mario Barrios, and that he’d be down to fight Pac-Man if he wins.
Norman says he wants Pacquiao fight next if legend beats Barrios
Plenty of people are aghast at the very idea of Manny fighting again at age 46, but Norman says he wants to see the fight and that he will be rooting for Pacquiao on the night.
“Shoot, I wanna see it,” Norman said with regards to the heavily criticised Barrios-Pacquiao fight set for Las Vegas. “I wanna see it. He’s a legend in the game. I wish the best for him. Manny Pacquiao [has] been out for a while so if anything, I gotta go towards Barrios. [But] if he [Pacquiao] wins that fight, I’m right here. Let’s make business.”
Fans call it nonsense: Norman should be chasing Boots, not Pacquiao
Plenty of fans will no doubt say that Norman has no business calling out Pacquiao, who was a faded force in his last fight, this four years ago, when Manny lost a wide decision against Yordenis Ugas. Norman should be targeting fighters his own age, and again, that fight with Boots is there for him should Norman get past Jin Sasaki, who he will defend his WBO title against in Japan next month.
For so many people, the fact that Pacquiao is to fight once more is bad enough. The idea of Pacquiao carrying on should he somehow manage to defeat Barrios is absolutely awful. Above all else, let’s just hope living legend Pacquiao is not badly hurt in the Barrios fight.
