Hall of fame trainer Freddie Roach recently, and perhaps mischievously, namedropped Gennady Golovkin as a potential opponent for his most famous student – the age-defying Manny Pacquiao.
Roach mooted an eye-rubbing catchweight encounter with heavy-handed IBF middleweight title-holder Golovkin as the Filipino legend pursues further glories at 41.
Eight-division champion Pacquiao has fought a world class opponent as high as 150lbs in November 2010, defeating Antonio Margarito for the WBC super-welterweight crown at a catchweight, but says boxing at this poundage is now beyond him. Even for that fight, Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) scaled 144lbs so it seems fanciful, even if money talked.
“As long as it is 147-pounds, I am okay with that. But if it’s above that, it’s too big for me,” Pacquiao told The Manila Times. “”No more. I did not really have a hard time then, but [Margarito] was too big.
“154? Hmm, it depends I guess, but there’s no negotiation [between my team and the Golovkin camp].”
Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KOs) scaled 159 1/4 lbs for his last bout against Sergey Derevyanchenko in October and 154lbs seems highly unlikely for him, too.
But Pacquiao has more than enough rivals at 147lbs including WBO title-holder Terence Crawford, WBC and IBF champion Errol Spence Jr. and former foe Keith Thurman.
Main image: Stephanie Trapp/TGB Promotions.