Last week, the legendary 8-weight world champion, Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao shared that there had been talks between himself and the ever popular Vasyl Lomachenko.
Pacquiao did share that any potential clash with Lomachenko will have to happen at a catchweight. Lomachenko’s father and trainer echoed those sentiments by claiming that the weight differential would be too much at this stage.
But talks are believed to be ongoing and Top Rank CEO, Bob Arum who promotes both Lomachenko and Pacquiao is supposedly warming to the idea of a clash in the fall of 2018.
Freddie Roach also is excited about the possibility of his legendary Filipino charge locking horns with the masterful Ukranian.
Roach also shared the issue of weight is essentially a non-issue given that Pacquiao is naturally the build of a lightweight who jumped up to welterweight for the more lucrative paydays.
Pacquiao was last seen in the ring when he surrendered his WBO welterweight title to Jeff Horn in Australia, last summer.
That bout took place before a capacity 51,000 crowd at The Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Pacquiao’s trainer did state that it will be crucial to get Pacquiao away from his senatorial responsibilities in order to have him fully focused on the task at hand inside the squared circle.
Roach said to BoxingScene.com, “but the thing is we need a real good training camp. We need him to get out of being a senator for a little while.”
I said,’Manny, this is too tough a sport to have another job.
Roach detailed the gameplan against Lomachenko will be his last attempt to reinvigorate the Pacquiao of old.
He intends to have his standout fighter exhibit the work rate of a minigun.
The goal will be to overwhelm Lomachenko with sustained pressure and not stand and wait opposite him in a boxing match.
“You’ve got to concentrate and be really, really prepared for this fight.
“You have to be aggressive in this fight because [Lomachenko] does have great footwork but if you press him hard enough and so forth.”
“You take that game away from him and he’s beatable.”
Pacquiao cannot be taken lightly by any man below the weight of 140 lbs.
Pacquiao’s knockout streak was called to a halt when he moved up in weight, into the glamourous welterweight division.
But let us not forget the havoc that the Filipino’s left hand can cause when it lands flush.
There is an old saying in boxing too, ‘power is always the last thing to go’.
He stopped so many warriors in his prime such as Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Miguel Cotto and Ricky Hatton.
That is only naming a handful of fighters that have crumbled under ‘The Pacman’s fists. If the fight does come off, It will not be plain sailing to victory number eleven for Lomachenko
READ MORE:
Eddie Hearn Expects David Haye To Be A 100 Per Cent Against Tony Bellew
Tyson Fury Continues His Verbal Onslaught – “Anthony Joshua Will Be My Easiest Fight”
Mike Tyson: Canelo-GGG was a draw, Lomachenko ‘favourite fighter’