Manny Pacquiao is going to announce his next opponent on Friday, and it is widely believed that the upcoming bout will be the last one of Pacquiao’s storied career, according to ESPN. There is much speculation as to whom the opponent will be, but one fighter who is being ruled out is Amir Khan, according to Matchroom Sport promoter Eddie Hearn.
Hearn promotes IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook, a fellow British fighter, and has been spurned repeatedly by Khan, who sought bigger fights vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Pacquiao. Both fighters turned him down, and as a result Khan has stagnated. His only fight of 2015 was a unanimous decision win over Chris Algieri, in which he struggled more than was expected.
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“Amir’s not got the Pacquiao fight. I always felt Brook is the obvious choice, but Mayweather and Pacquiao were big fights for Khan and now they are not happening,” Hearn said (via Bleacher Report). “I have said to Amir that if we don’t get this sorted in the next couple of weeks we will miss the boat for a summer fight. Brook one million percent wants the fight, now I believe Khan wants the fight, so we will meet next week and I believe we will get the deal done.”
Judging by Hearn’s eagerness to put together Khan vs. Brook, it appears his fighter is also not being considered. With that, here are three opponents that Pacquiao is likely to select for his go-home bout.
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Timothy Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KO)
Bradley is 2-0-1 in his last three fights, and the draw was a controversial decision most felt robbed Bradley of a rightful victory. He’s known as a warrior inside the ring who rarely puts forth a dull effort. He has also fought Pacquiao twice, scoring a controversial win in their first fight, and claiming he fought hurt when he lost the second time.
A rubber match is not ideal. Most fans feel Pacquiao beat him decisively twice, and therefore there wouldn’t be any reason for a third matchup. Bradley does have famed trainer Teddy Atlas in his corner now, however, and he won by knockout against Brandon Rios in his most recent fight. He is the suspected leader of the pack, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Terence Crawford (27-0-0, 19 KO)
Crawford is a junior welterweight champion, but he’s considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, and he is one of HBO’s rising stars. Crawford has an entertaining, boxer-puncher style that features movement and defense, but also incorporates his tremendous power.
Crawford has won three of his last four fights by TKO, and has already developed a rabid fan base in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. All Crawford needs is the push that can only be gained by fighting a major opponent, which is exactly what Pacquiao is. Crawford would become one of HBO’s frontline fighters if he upset Pacquiao, who may be looking to fight at a lighter weight than 147 pounds to increase his power. Even if Crawford lost, he could see an increase in awareness of his fights like Saul “Canelo” Alvarez did after facing Mayweather in 2013.
Lucas Matthysse (37-4-0, 34 KO)
Matthysse may be damaged goods, which isn’t a bad thing if this is Pacquiao’s last hurrah. Matthysse is coming off a knockout loss to Viktor Postol in his last fight, but he’s essentially bulletproof as an attraction. Win or lose fans can expect Matthysse to attack, meaning either he or his opponent will likely be knocked out.
Dark Horse: Ruslan Provodnikov (25-4, 18 KO)
It’s a win-win for HBO. If Matthysse scores a knockout over Pacquiao, the loss to Postol will be instantly forgiven, and chalked up as an off-night vs. a bad matchup. If he loses, Pacquiao rides into the sunset on a strong win, while Matthysse remains a ferocious fighter always capable of a big KO.
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