Manny Pacquiao understands the sentiments of Vasyliy Lomachenko of not taking the risk of fighting him in the future.
Pacquiao, almost 10 years older than the former Ukrainian Olympian, said that the weight difference would definitely be the main reason why the fight with Lomachenko will not materialize since the Filipino senator is a welterweight boxer, while the other is campaigning as a lightweight.
“Malaki naman talaga ako sa kanya, mataas timbang ko at nasa ibang weight division ako. Nirespeto niya ito at siguro, bilang nakakatanda na rin sa kanya (I think I’m bigger than him, I’m heavier than him, so I’m in a different weight division. I think he respects me as his elder),” Pacquiao told Manila Standard through an exclusive interview after his Saturday sparring session at the Elorde gym.
Lomachenko, however, had a mouthful to say about Pacquiao in a recent interview by reporters in New York City last Thursday.
“I think his (Pacquiao’s) career is done. I don’t want to become a legend in boxing because of him,” Lomachenko told boxingnews24.com.
Lomachenko (12-1 record with 9 KOs) is coming off a spectacular unanimous decision win against Jose Pedraza on Sunday (Philippine time) in a world title unification fight at the Madison Square Garden in New York City.
He unified the World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organization lightweight belts.
“Magaling naman si Lomachenko. In his weight division, mahihirapan pa siyang talunin (Lomachenko is a great fighter and it will be hard to beat him in his own weight division),” added the fighting senator Pacquiao, who however noted that he would be ready once Lomachenko has a change of heart.
“Wala naman tayong pinipiling kalaban (I don’t choose my opponents), as long as we entertain the fans,” Pacquiao said.
The eight-division world champion Pacquiao (60-7-2 win-loss-draw record with 39 knockouts) will be defending his World Boxing Association welterweight belt to Adrien Broner (33-3 record with 24 knockouts) on Jan. 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.