World tour for Manny?

Before boxing legends Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson retired from the ring, they went around the globe regaling audiences to cement their legacy as two of the world’s greatest fighters ever. They also pocketed quite a bundle for their bank accounts in the process.

If you ask trainer Freddie Roach, he’d like Manny Pacquiao to do the same thing in the twilight of his boxing career. The problem is Pacquiao is now a Senator and his time to fight has become limited. After Pacquiao faces WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas in a 12-round title bout in Las Vegas on Nov. 5, he has one fight left in his contract with Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. Pacquiao may or may not extend his deal with Arum but it’s his choice. Pacquiao could even decide to fight on his own after his contract with Top Rank expires but that would mean taking over promotional chores.

There appears to be no timetable as to when Pacquiao, 37, will hang up his gloves. Assuming he beats Vargas convincingly to regain the WBO crown, Pacquiao may opt to make one defense to fulfil his obligation with Top Rank and that could be a rematch with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Or the defense, which would be voluntary, could be against another challenger. If Pacquiao decides to promote himself after his Top Rank contract expires, he could then take on Mayweather. It was Mayweather who suggested to Pacquiao years ago to take over his own promotion to increase his share of the money pie.

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Roach said if Pacquiao finds the time, it would be a fitting farewell if the Filipino icon fights in key cities around the world where he is idolized. So far, Pacquiao has fought only in Japan, Thailand, Macau and the US outside of the Philippines. He is widely popular in England which he visited to promote his Las Vegas fight against Manchester’s Ricky Hatton in 2009.

“A world tour could make a lot of money for Manny,” said Roach. “He could fight the best from each country he visits. That could be his farewell tour.” Time is the obstacle as Pacquiao is committed to his work as Senator and will fight only when there are breaks in the sessions. Roach said it would be a treat for fans in different countries to watch Pacquiao in action before he retires particularly as no other fighter in the world has captured world titles in eight weight divisions. It’s a record that will likely never be matched or broken.

In Ali’s case, he retired in 1981 after losing to Trevor Berbick in Nassau, Bahamas. Ali’s first fight outside the US was against Henry Cooper in London in 1963. He fought thrice in London and also saw action in Toronto, Frankfurt, Zurich, Tokyo, Vancouver, Dublin, Jakarta, Kinshasha, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, San Juan (Puerto Rico) and Munich.

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Robinson was 44 when he had his last fight in 1965, a year where he logged 14 bouts. Nearing the end of his career, the former world welterweight and middleweight champion toured the world to bring his boxing act to international audiences. In 1965, he battled Stan Harrington twice in Honolulu and fought in Kingston, Jamaica and Lazio, Italy. Throughout his career that spanned 198 bouts, Robinson displayed his wares in Marseille, Nice, London, Paris, Paisley (Scotland), Grenoble, Brussels, Lyon, Sto. Domingo (Dominican Republic), Vienna, Trinidad and Tobago, Turin, Berlin, Liege (Belgium), Antwerp (Belgium), Zurich, Frankfurt and Geneva.

 Pacquiao was invited to compete at the recent Rio Olympics and it was rumored he would be given a wildcard invitation to enter the lightwelterweight division. He seriously considered to join, particularly as the Philippines has never won an Olympic gold medal since its debut in the Summer Games in 1924. There would be no money involved but Pacquiao thought of the honor he could bring to the country if he participated. In the end, Pacquiao declined to fight because by then, he had been voted a Senator and there wouldn’t have been enough time to train for the Olympics. An Olympic stint would’ve catapulted Pacquiao into even more global recognition.

Roach said he would’ve accompanied Pacquiao to Rio if he decided to fight but was relieved the plan was scuttled. “Pros aren’t used to fighting three rounds under amateur rules,” he said. “It would’ve entailed a major adjustment.” In the Olympics, fighters are weighed in on the morning of each fight and to reach the finals, Pacquiao would’ve appeared in five bouts over a two-week period. In the pros, fighters are weighed the day before the fight. Still, the consensus is if Pacquiao had set his mind to it, no doubt, he would’ve won the gold for the Philippines. The age limit for boxing in the Olympics is 40 so Pacquiao would no longer be eligible to compete in Tokyo in 2020.