Josh Taylor has expressed his disappointment that a dream fight against Manny Pacquiao is unlikely to happen after the eight-division champion’s shock defeat to Yordenis Ugas last weekend and the Scot now hopes the Filipino legend retires from the fight game.
Undisputed 140lbs champion Taylor has long idolised Pacquiao and hoped to one day share the ring with him, but saw those dreams disappear as a more lethargic version of the ‘Pac Man’ was outfoxed by the underrated Ugas in Las Vegas seven days ago.
Pacquiao looked a shadow of his former self and Scottish star Taylor believes he would have handily defeated the Filipino in Ugas’s position. Now that opportunity seems to have passed like Pacquiao’s peak years.
“It’s a shame because I would have loved it,” Taylor told Sky Sports. “He’s one of the best ever but he’s never been an undisputed champion so that might have enticed him into a fight, to get his hands on all of the [140lbs] belts, to give him something else to achieve.
“I’m disappointed that he didn’t win because he’s my hero and also disappointed because I won’t get the chance to fight him now. It could have been amazing. Who gets to share the ring with their hero?
“If I had been there on Saturday, I would have beaten him with no problems. Call me crazy but, even when Pacquiao was very good, I still think I would have had a great chance against him.
“He looked old. Even the Pacquiao of two or three years ago would have dealt with Ugas without problems. He was flat-footed, wasn’t on the bounce. He still had speed and power but was a second off the pace. His timing made him look old.
“It was sad to see my idol looking old. I really hope he packs it in now and says: ‘That’s it’. A fighter of his magnitude, having fights like that, is damaging his legacy. I’d like to see him go out while he’s at the top.”