The boxing world awaits who Manny Pacquiao will face next. The consensus is that he will likely face Keith Thurman although there is no closure as of this writing. With an unblemished record, the America boxer is seen as the logical opponent but a dangerous adversary for the eight-time division champion.
Aside from Thurman, Danny Garcia is the other name being floated of facing the boxer-senator. The 31-year-old pug is coming off a rousing 7th round TKO win over Adrian Granados, allowing him to cop the WBC Silver welterweight title. But if he is to be compared to Thurman, records show that Garcia lost to the 30-year-old boxer via split decision.
In the boxing world, a loss is a loss and this somehow supports the notion that Pacquiao would be best off facing Thurman this July. However, there are other factors to consider. The risk of a loss and the revenue that a fight would make are also in play, possibly some of the reasons why a Pacquiao vs. Thurman is not a one and done deal.
At the moment, Pacquiao is busy fulfilling his political obligations, the Bleacher Report said. Any development tied up to the Pac-Man’s next fight may gain ground after the May 13 elections in the Philippines. As Dan Rafael of ESPN points out, this may only be the time when the Pacquiao camp finally sits down and determines who the future boxing Hall of Famer faces next.
There are pundits who single out how Thurman has shown rust when he last fought. This was against Josesito Lopez where he won by majority decision. Regardless, that is something Thurman can easily address. And seeing how Pacquiao still has the moves and power behind his punches, expect Thurman to prepare better in the event he is the 40-year-old’s next opponent.
Looking at Garcia’s boxing record, the fact that he has dropped two of his matches could make him a manageable fighter. But then again, any athlete who suffers a loss gains experience and matures. At any rate, Garcia could be a dangerous adversary as well since he will be more cautious and forced to study his opponents closely.
Regardless if it would be Garcia or Thurman, the fact remains that Pacquiao needs to choose wisely. If none of the two gains his approval, he could skim available opponents as well. Errol Spence Jr. was mentioned before but even he is a dangerous foe. To sum it all up, it will be no easy task for Pacquiao in choosing who he will fight this July.
