SEVERAL potential opponents could line up for Manny Pacquiao for the big bucks now that the Filipino boxing legend proved he still has the sting in his punches.
Pacquiao, who turns 40 in December, flashed his vintage form after scoring a seventh-round technical knockout win over Argentina’s Lucas Matthysse for the World Boxing Association welterweight title at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur last Sunday.
Matthysse went down thrice, with the last in the seventh round that forced referee Kenny Bayless to stop the title match at the 2:43 mark.
Pacquiao’s grit was in full display despite a one-year layoff from the ring following his loss to Australia’s Jeff Horn. The knockout was the first in nine years since stopping Miguel Cotto in 2009.
But Pacquiao preferred to savor his victory before contemplating on returning to the ring once more.
“Right now my focus is to go back to my country and relax,” he said. “I’m happy to go back and celebrate with my fellow countrymen.”
Nevertheless, a handful of boxers qualify as contenders for the champion.
According to a report of the Los Angeles Times, Pacquiao—who holds a record of 60 wins and 39 knockouts, seven losses and two draws—wants to fight in the US again.
And tops on the list of his probable opponents are lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko and welterweight titlist Terrence Crawford.
Lomachenko and Crawford are both considered as two of the best pound-for-pound boxer today. Both are three-division world champions.
The Ukrainian Lomachenko, almost 10 years younger than Pacquiao, has an 11-1 record. Crawford, fighting out of Nebraska, is an unbeaten slugger in 33 fights with 24 knockouts.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum pointed that only Pacquiao could choose his next opponent.
Image credits: AP