Manny Pacquiao looks set to match a feat rival Floyd Mayweather managed in 2020 as a planned comeback gets shelved for his political career.
Like all retired legends, Pacquiao is on the International Boxing Hall of Fame ballot three years after his last professional contest. Mayweather took his honor in 2020, becoming a first-ballot Hall of Famer after retiring following his clash with Conor McGregor in 2017.
When boxing media and personnel cast their votes, the ‘Pac-Man’ will undoubtedly be voted into the lucrative boxing archive in Canastota, New York. This scenario would be the earliest opportunity for the eight-weight world champion. The impending induction would potentially mean Pacquiao ends his career after months of trying to nail down a title shot swansong.
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As World Boxing News broke exclusively, Pacquiao wanted to fight Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title. The pair held talks, but ultimately, the fight stalled, and Barrios moved on to fight on Paul vs Tyson on November 15
Speaking to WBN earlier this month, MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons hadn’t given up hope. However, with Pacquiao’s political career resuming in May, any other fights are unlikely.
“Let’s see what happens [with Barrios after his fight on the Mike Tyson undercard],” Gibbons told WBN. “We are running out of a little time as ‘Sir Manny’ declared his candidacy for the Senate in 2025. So he’s tied up from February to May 11, when the election is.
“But, anything can happen – after. For sure, that’s [the Barrios title chance], but it is still the fight.”
A confirmed rematch with Floyd Mayweather also looks to have bitten the dust due to only ten weeks remaining until the scheduled return. It would be impossible for Mayweather and Pacquiao to live up to their 2023 promise to fight on a RIZIN bill this New Year’s Eve. Pacquiao took to a RIZIN show to make it official before Mayweather revealed he’d made money simply from the announcement.
Since then, the entire notion of Mayweather vs Pacquiao II has gone silent.
The IBHOF recently named Vinny Pazienza, Nigel Benn, Joel Casamayor, Chris Eubank, Mikey Garcia, Shawn Porter, Antonio Tarver, Mikkel Kessler, and Shinsuke Yamanaka as other Hall of Fame hopefuls.
Pacquiao’s name will be on the list for induction in 2025, barring a significant development.