Does anyone believe boxers anymore when they claim to retire? Even when they seem so sure of it, the cash, the desire to compete, or the lust for the spotlight often gets the best of them. You especially shouldn’t believe them when they openly state that they will not close the door on a possible return.
That’s right, Manny Pacquiao is already discussing his return to the ring, after only being retired for about three months. The “comeback” fight is being scheduled for November 5.
We may know the date of the fight, but the man who will be standing in the opposing corner has yet to be determined. This is partly because we don’t know what weight Pacquiao will fight at, since his duties as a Senator in the Philippines may hinder his preparation.
Opponent and weight class aren’t the only uncertainties surrounding Pac-Man’s return. There’s also the pressing questions of whether he’ll become a pro basketball MVP or a Xerxes-style human deity when he finally does hang up the gloves.
Here are the odds on all that and more.
Odds on Pacquiao’s opponent for his comeback fight:
Jessie Vargas: 3/1
Terence Crawford: 7/2
Viktor Postol: 7/2
Floyd Mayweather: 50/1
King Hippo: 1,000,000/1
FIELD: 7/3
If Pacquiao can’t get down to 140 lbs, then all signs are pointing to Vargas as his opponent. If he is able to prioritise training over his Senatorial duties, then either Crawford or Postol, who will fight this Saturday night, are the top candidates.
Hippo-Pac has a nice ring to it, though.
Odds Pacquiao wins his comeback fight: 7/8
Obviously the exact odds will depend on his opponent. But given who the favorites are to be that opponent, Pac-Man is the chalk. Even though he’s a full-time politician now – and a professional basketball player – he’s still one of the greatest boxers of all-time, and his last fight against Timothy Bradley would suggest that he’s still got some gas in the tank.
Odds on Pacquiao’s comeback fight going the distance: 3/4
“Gas in the tank” does not equate to knockout power. His last five fights have all gone to the cards.
Odds Pacquiao will re-retire after his comeback fight: 1/1
He is 37 years old, and has disclosed his interest in not only continuing, but furthering his political career. Is there time to train for a boxing match anymore? I’m sure he hopes so.
Odds Pacquiao’s comeback fight is his final fight: 2/1
Win or lose, he won’t be able to walk away from the sport that has brought him legendary status in his home country. All the money that would be on the table will have its own allure.
Odds Pacquiao’s comeback fight will have 400,000+ pay-per-view buys: 3/5
Two of his last three fights haven’t eclipsed this number, but the phrase “comeback fight” garners a lot of attention.
Odds Pacquiao’s comeback fight makes boxing interesting again: 50/1
The UFC and mixed martial arts have taken the fighting spotlight and won’t be giving it back anytime soon.
Odds of Pacquiao running for President of the Philippines: 5/7
He was recently voted in as a Senator and has publicised his interest in running for President one day. That one day will eventually come.
Odds Pacquiao actually becomes President: 5/4
He is viewed as a hero in his country and would, at very worst, make it a very close race. We can only hope his campaign will be run by current promoter Bob Arum.
Odds Pacquiao changes his stance on same-sex marriage: 1/2
Sadly, same-sex marriage is still a controversial topic in the Philippines. But Pacquiao’s despicable anti-gay remarks were so heinous that they almost prevented him from being voted into the Senate. If he really wants to be President, he better change his tune.
Odds of us seeing Pacquiao v Mayweather II: 5/2
Bob Arum was quoted as saying that it was more likely than not that we would see a rematch of the disappointing “fight of the century.” I don’t see either one of these men saying no to a comparable purse, since Pacquiao donates a lot of money to charities and Mayweather treats money like it’s a Schick Xtreme3.
Whether they can amass the same hype is the big question.
Odds of the Philippines declaring Pacquiao a deity: 5/1
Although the proposition may sound ridiculous, I hope the odds sufficiently tell you otherwise.
Odds Pacquiao wins MVP honors in the Philippines Basketball Association: 50/1
He’s a phenomenal boxer, but his basketball game is a little lacklustre.
Odds Pacquiao purchases an NBA team: 75/1
This would be a smart investment, but he has other things he needs to put his finances towards, like paying his damn taxes!
(Photo Credit: Boxing AIBA (flickr) [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/])
