Will it be a grudge match for Manny Pacquiao in 2016?
With no word yet on who the Filipino boxing champ intends to face for his return bout next year, the name of Juan Manuel Marquez has been mentioned among the possible opponents yet again.
Why you may ask? Well for one, everyone knows that celebrated knockout win of Marquez over Pacquiao back in 2012, something that many alleged was a ‘Lucky Punch’. It was the fourth installment between the two rivals with a fifth billing initially not something that many are keenly looking forward to.
However, it could possibly make the most sense for 2016 seeing that Pacquiao would be looking to bounce back hard and look for payback at one of his boxing losses.
A rematch Mayweather is still up in the air but Pacquiao did reiterate that the American boxer is not among his priorities. Boxing seems to be slowly taking a backseat for the eight-time division champion who is expected to run for a senatorial seat in the 2016 national elections to be held in the Philippines.
Further to that, Pacquiao seems to be banking on the fact that Mayweather has official retired and hence finds it useless running after the undefeated boxer.
Aside from Marquez, frontrunners for a possible tiff with Pacquiao are former sparring partner Amir Khan, Argentine boxer Lucas Matthysse, Terrence Crawford and Kell Brook.
Initially it seemed that Khan had a lock on Pacquiao in 2016, seeing that both camps have already held talks this year.
Matthysse on the other hand is looking forward for a chance at the PacMan as well though he may have to pull out an impressive win over Viktor Postol first before even thinking of a possible tiff with the Filipino boxing icon.
On Marquez, who is already 42, it may all depend on what his official status is. There was a time when Marquez pondered retirement but the latest word from USA Today is that El Dinamita wants to fight again.
If so, there is also a question on the actual state of Marquez’ knee which the Mexican reportedly injured during his last match with Mike Alvarado in 2014.
Until all those questions are answered, it seems that Pacquiao’s next opponent will remain in the cloud of speculation for now.
Pacquiao has yet to hit the boxing run and train once more and Top Rank promoter Bob Arum made it clear that he wants to get the official medical clearance first from Pacquiao’s attending physician, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, as mentioned in the Las Vegas Review Journal.