(NI VIRGI T. ROMANO, SAKSI, Sports Editor)
LAS VEGAS – IPINAKITA ni eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao na kahit edad 40 na ay kaya pa rin niyang makipagsabayan sa mas batang boksingero. Ebidensiya nito ang pagdomina niya kay Adrien Broner na 11 taong mas bata sa kanya, nang talunin via unanimous decision, Sabado ng gabi (Linggo sa Manila) sa MGM Grand Garden Arena rito.
Bago ang sagupaan, lahat ng indikasyon ay tumuturo sa rematch nina Pacquiao at Floyd Mayweather Jr. sakaling talunin ng Pambansang Kamao si Broner.
Matapos bugbugin ni Pacquiao si Broner, muling binanggit ni Showtime announcer Jin Grey ang posibilidad ng rematch.
“Tell him to come back to the ring and we will fight,” hamon ni Pacquiao.“I am willing to fight Floyd Mayweather if wants to come back to boxing.”
Pero, nang ipokus ang kamera sa kinaroroonan ni Mayweather, blangko ang mukha nito, walang emosyon, walang reaksiyon.
“The camera is on you now Floyd. If you’re interested in the rematch, just give us a nod,” tanong ni Grey kay Mayweather.
Kinumpirma rin ni Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe, na walang interes si Mayweather na muling harapin si Pacquiao.
Sina Pacquiao at Mayweather ay naglaban noong Mayo 2015, kung saan nagbulsa si Pacquiao ng $127 million, habang $250 million naman sa American fighter. Bukod pa sa paghakot ng 4.6 million pay-per-view buys na umabot sa kitang mahigit $600 million.
“No,” sambit ni Ellerbe. “He has nothing else to prove. I’m very happy for him. He’s retired. He has no interest in doing that. It’s not always about the money … what more can the man do?”
Dagdag pa ni Ellerbe: “He doesn’t have the motivation or the desire,” . “He’s living his best life, traveling, running his multiple businesses, spending his hard-earned winnings. He’ll be 42 come Feb. 24. Enough is enough. What good is it to earn that money if you aren’t around to spend it?”
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