Getty Manny Pacquiao during Miguel Cotto title fight in Las Vegas, Nevada, 2009.
Well, well, well…
One of boxing’s modern day legends would come out of retirement for fights against a number of big-name opponents, his manager Sean Gibbons told Boxing Scene on Thursday.
Per Gibbons, Pacquiao — a former eight-weight world champion in boxing — would consider a fight against Conor McGregor, a former two-weight champion in UFC.
He would also fight two of boxing’s biggest stars Gervonta Davis or Ryan Garcia, if the opportunities presented themselves.
For Gibbons, Pacquiao is technically already out of retirement as he’s set to participate in an exhibition involving one of Muay Thai’s GOATS Buakaw Banchamek on April 20 in Thailand.
This could lead to a return to the boxing ring, Gibbons hinted.
“Technically he’s out of retirement,” Gibbons said, referencing the exhibition. “Manny feels that he’s in tremendous shape. He’s training for this exhibition but hopefully that will lead to something bigger and better.”
Gibbons said Pacquiao “would love to fight Gervonta Davis [and/or] Ryan Garcia.”
He continued: “One of the fights that people talked about for a long time was Manny Pacquiao versus Conor McGregor — that’s something that will be sensational in Saudi Arabia, let’s go.
“It’s a very intriguing and fun fight bringing two of the biggest names together in combat sports.”
It’s Not The First Time Pacquiao And McGregor Have Been Linked
A boxing-rules super fight between the two combat sports icons has been talked about for years.
McGregor even told reporters, including myself, at a media event in Las Vegas four years ago, that he was in talks for a fight with Pacquiao.
“With Manny Pacquiao,” McGregor said January 16, 2020, two days before his UFC match against Donald Cerrone, “talks have been ongoing.”
He added: “An aspiration of mine is to win a boxing world title. It would be a phenomenal feather in the cap and is something I will achieve.”
In 2022, Pacquiao himself said he’d look forward to a possible match against McGregor regardless of whether it was an exhibition or a legitimate contest.
“Whether it’s a real fight or an exhibition … I look forward to it,” he said, according to Business Insider.
Bouts Against ‘Tank’ Davies or Garcia Would Be Tougher Than McGregor
A fight against McGregor wouldn’t be as tough as taking on Gervonta Davies or Ryan Garcia, if either of those prospective fights came to fruition.
This is because McGregor, while accomplished in MMA, has only ever fought once in a boxing-rules contest — dropping a 10-round stoppage loss to Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
Davis, a 29-year-old fighter, is active in boxing, a three-weight world champion, and one of the most thunderous punchers in the sport.
That could prove particularly dangerous against Pacquiao, who is 45 years old and last fought Yordenis Ugas in 2021, losing a decision, and taking so much damage he struggled to open his eyes the following day.
Garcia, likewise, would be a hard assignment for a past-prime fighter who returns to the ring for a final shot at glory as he’s got fast hands, proven power, and is 20 years younger.