THIS Manny Pacquiao-Lucas Matthyse bout
on July 15 in Kuala Lumpur is a fight no one is seemingly asking for.
Save of course for those curious to see what outcome a bout between a reigning world champion who has a 92 percent knockout percentage, and a singing, fighting Senator from the Philippines who is at the twilight of his career.
Lately, Pacquiao’s plate is full.
He has stately duties as a lawmaker, a newly formed commercial basketball league and a quest for a diving life in the more “peaceful” ways of his religion.
Controversial or not, his defeat over Australian Jeff Horn last year may be a clear indication of the People’s Champ’s flickering star inside the squared circle.
Put bluntly, there isn’t much fanfare in the buildup to his fight unlike the many exciting bouts that came before.
The reason? People are starting to lose interest in another Pacquiao prizefight, with a likelihood of another losing outcome.
But then again, people have always pointed out to his other “distractions” as the primary suspects for his slumping performance.
They do have a case, as his last bout in the ring a year ago produced his fourth loss in five years, owing to the many “Manny Things” the future Hall of Famer does outside the ring.
And they won’t treat this upcoming fight for the World Boxing Association World Welterweight title any different, though of course many a time, the eight-division world champion has proven doubters otherwise.
We’re just hoping he does it again once more in July and maybe consider hanging up the gloves for good then for a fitting exit.
Although nobody’s sure when will that come to fruition, but it’s not anytime soon as the 39-year-old General Santos native was quoted as saying that he wants his last fight be held at the Philippine Arena in front of his countrymen.
That’s quite noble in face value. However, a loss to the 35-year-old Argentinian knockout artist, who kayoed all but three of his opponents and holds a record of 39 wins and four losses (36 KOs), in a way similar to his 2012 knockout defeat at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez is not the tune we want our champ’s swan song to be in.
It was Pacquiao himself who said in an interview that this fight is a “big challenge” for him, but sees it can “create more action in the ring” to give fight fans ceaseless and explosive action—something that’s lacking in Pacquiao’s recent bouts and something that could reinvigorate disrelished fans of late.
Then maybe, just maybe, if an all-out slugfest goes Pacquiao’s way against Matthyse, people might reconsider seeing just want one more final Pacquiao fight at the Philippine Arena.
But if the contrary transpires three months from now in Malaysia, then Pacquiao, who should be enjoying his fame and fortune now as a businessman, family man, senator and basketball organizer, must contemplate whether boxing has turned out to be the real “distraction” in his career.