MANNY PACQUIAO is rumoured – as in, very tentatively rumoured – to be in discussions for a potential showdown with Vasyl Lomachenko.
Quite how this would unfold, it remains to be seen, especially given that ‘Pac Man’ has campaigned exclusively at 147lbs over the past decade, while ‘Loma’ was always considered an undersized, yet no less masterful, operator at 135lbs.
Not only that, but Lomachenko announced his retirement from the sport just a few months ago, putting an end to his illustrious career while forgoing his status as the IBF world lightweight champion.
Pacquiao, meanwhile, only returned to a professional ring this past July, back when he ended a near four-year layoff and boxed to a draw against the rather uninspiring Mario Barrios.
Prior to that, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman was heavily lambasted for sanctioning the contest, which saw Pacquiao, now 46 years old, enter an immediate world title shot.
If not for the lack of any real threat from Barrios, and the Filipino icon instead came up against WBO belt-holder Brian Norman Jr, for instance, then indeed, his return could have looked drastically different – dangerous, even.
But as it happened, Pacquiao’s performance was largely flattered by the lacklustre efforts of Barrios, whose credentials as a genuine welterweight champion are, in truth, a little underwhelming.
In any case, Pacquiao was heavily rumoured to be in talks for a clash with WBA champion Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero, who comes off a points victory over Ryan Garcia, for his next outing.
But with the WBA having ordered a fight between Romero and mandatory challenger Shakhram Giyasov, it would appear that, unless the American vacates his title, a contest between ‘Rolly’ and Pacquiao is now far less likely.
Instead, speculation of a bizarre encounter between Pacquiao and Lomachenko has appeared on social media, albeit with nothing particularly credible to support these rumours.
Lomachenko, as previously mentioned, called time on his career earlier this year and, until now, there has been very little to suggest that he is eager to return to action so soon.
That said, stranger things have happened in this sport, and although the 37-year-old’s exit seemed relatively conclusive, there will perhaps always be a few lucrative paydays on the table for a possible comeback.
