Tag Archives: Senate

Posted on 07/13/2016

Speculation Swirls With Announcement Of Manny Pacquiao Return
By: Sean Crose

“Don’t call it a comeback!” rapper LL Cool J hollered on his album “Momma Said Knock You Out.” The same statement could well apply to Manny Pacquiao now that he’s announced his “return” after what amounts to a couple of weeks’ worth of retirement. He simply hasn’t been away long enough to be retired. The guy only fights twice a year, for Pete’s sake, and his last bout was in the spring. Still, the Filipino Senator is once again the talk of the fight game with a return scheduled for this October.

Word was out that Manny might indeed face the colorful Adrien Broner. That may not have made for a top tier matchup, but it would have been interesting and would also have probably earned some serious pay per view coin. It may also have pleased fight guru Al Haymon to have what must be the biggest headache in his stable engage in a huge fight that would prove lucrative, win, lose or draw. Sadly, however, Pacquiao-Broner seems as if it’s simply not meant to be. For Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum claims that Broner simply asked for too much money (Broner is very much a contemporary fighter, after all).

Who else is out there for Pacquiao, though? Sure, there’s plenty of guys, but which ones are pay per view worthy? Jesse Vargas is being mentioned, but I can’t see that fight bringing in the numbers Pacquiao’s last fight with Tim Bradley…did and that bout was said to be a financial disappointment. Vargas simply isn’t a big enough name. Haymon fighters Shawn Porter, Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia would all prove interesting, but it’s worth wondering whether Haymon would want to send out his top welterweights to face a man who fights for another promoter and who might well beat them.

Terrence Crawford fights in the same camp as Pacquiao does, but he’s up against the extremely talented Viktor Postol this summer. Sure, Crawford may win the fight, but he may also lose. Indeed, Crawford-Postol is a very close matchup to call right now. Besides, if Crawford wins, he might need some more time to prepare for what would undoubtedly be the match of his life. As for Postol, well, he’s not really well known. Sure, he could fight Manny if he beats Crawford, but would a match pitting Pacquiao against the lanky European be something fans would clamor for?

The name of Floyd Mayweather will undoubtedly come up at some point, but I really don’t think fans would be crazy about that one. Many say a Manny-Floyd rematch would be huge if it did half the numbers of the first fight. Fine…but I wonder if it would actually do that much. Likewise, rematches with Miguel Cotto and Juan Manuel Marquez may also have a “been there, done that” feel to them. Who, then, will the Filipino icon end up facing this fall? You can be sure it will be someone.

You can also be sure you’ll have to pay to watch it.

Posted on 07/12/2016

Well, that was quick: The un-retirement of Manny Pacquiao
By: Matthew N. Becher

​On April 9th, earlier this year, Manny Pacquiao had his hand raised, for what was supposed to be the last time in a Hall of Fame caliber career, after beating Timothy Bradley for the second time in three fights. Pacquiao, who is 37 years old, announced his retirement after the fight and explained that he would be focusing on his political career and the upcoming election, where he would be running for a Senatorial seat in his native Philippines. Pacquiao summed it up by saying “I started boxing to help my family, my mother….I want to end my boxing career now, because my desire in my heart is to help my people, my country.”

​Well, it seems that less than 3 months after his last fight, Pacquiao is ready to get back in the ring. According to his promoter, Bob Arum, who told The Guardian news outlet on Tuesday, the newly elected senator would like to fight again, “He now has given us the go-ahead to shop for a venue and opponent and see if we can do it on particular dates….that doesn’t interfere with his senatorial responsibilities and his ability to train.”, Arum told the Guardian.
​Talks of a fight with former 4 division champion Adrian “the problem” Broner were floating around, but it seems that the rumors of Broner pricing himself out of the fight are true, according to Arum, “Broner wants more than Pacquiao…Obviously he doesn’t want the fight or just doesn’t understand the economics of this business.” This seems very ridiculous that Broner, who has never come close to making the same kind of money that Pacquiao ever has for a single fight, would ask for more, but it does sound like something that Adrien Broner would actually do.

​From what we are getting from Arum is that the date will have to coincide with Pacquiao being able to take a leave of absence from his Senator duties. He will need to train mainly in the Philippines to be close to his political job and need to leave “for three weeks before the fight to complete training in the United States”.

​Who and where are the big questions now. Also, Why? What does Pacquiao have left to prove? One thing is for certain though, he is still one of the top fighters in the world, based on his last performance against Bradley. He would be a heavy matchup for any fighter in the 140-147 pound divisions. With boxing looking for a new star, maybe it will just have to wait, and take back an old one for now.

Posted on 05/11/2016

It’s Now Senator Pacquiao
By: Sean Crose

According to reports on Tuesday, Manny Pacquiao had indeed won – or was on the verge of winning, depending on the source – a senatorial position in his homeland of the Philippines. According to ABC Online, “the winner of an unprecedented eight world championships had garnered 15.2 million votes, more than enough to enter the Senate.” Although the iconic star from Kibawe has been involved in his nation’s politics for some time, (he was made a congressman of Serengani Provence in 2010) a senate victory would (or will) reportedly change his life considerably. Unlike the Filipino Congress, the country’s senate is said to offer a more demanding schedule for the boxing great.

What this all means for Pacquiao’s fighting career remains to be seen, though he officially declared himself retired last month after a successful third fight against old foe Tim Bradley in Vegas. For Pacquiao’s retirement proclamation appeared halfhearted at times. Indeed, the man made it clear that his family was pressuring him to leave the ring behind. And probably not without good reason, as the man is pushing forty and has literally earned hundreds of millions of dollars throughout his illustrious career, which began over 20 years ago.

Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s longtime promoter, himself stated publicly that now that Pacquiao has (reportedly) won a senate seat, he has to focus on the task at hand and leave the boxing ring behind. And although some argue that Arum may well be saying such things because Pacquiao’s last fight was a pay per view bomb, there is ample evidence to indicate that the poverty stricken Philippines needs the full focus of its leaders. With a whopping one in four of all Filipinos reportedly living below the line of poverty, theirs is a nation inarguably in need of help and sound direction.

Still, the prize ring can offer a siren song that has led many to the rocks. To be sure, Pacquiao, wealthy though he may be, is known for his generosity. Another Mayweather fight could prove to be quite appealing the man, should the opportunity present itself. What’s more, many noted athletes have been known to feel unfulfilled after their sporting careers have ended. As athletic psychologist John F Murray once told livescience.com, “When your whole life has been geared toward athletic excellence, the prospects of retirement can be dreadful!” Whether or not that’s true of a sitting senator remains to be seen.