By Robert Addams: Sean Gibbons, President of MP Promotions is saying that they’ve picked out a three-fighter shortlist for Manny Pacquiao’s first fight in early 2020. Gibbons told secondsout that the following fighters are being considered for Pacquiao’s fight next April: Mikey Garcia, Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia.
Manny and Gibbons are both highly interested in a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. who will be coming back or 2 fights in 2020. Mayweather is said to be targeting Pacquiao for one of his 2 fights next year. However, it’s likely that Mayweather won’t take the fight with Pacquiao until September. Floyd wants to fight, and that’s expected to be a collaboration with Dana White against an MMA fighter.
Danny Garcia is fighting on January 25, so he’s out of the running for Pacquiao’s fight. Gibbons didn’t say that, but perhaps he’s intentionally keeping Danny’s name for negotiating purposes. If other candidates think Pacquiao has other options, they’ll be less inclined to ask for too much money.
Pacquiao’s 3-fighter shortlist revealed
“He’s going to sort out what the next step is. [Danny] Garcia, [Shawn] Porter or if Mikey [Garcia] is still floating around,” said Mayweather Promotions president Sean Gibbons to Secondsout when asked who is the leading candidate for Pacquiao’s FIRST fight in 2020. “Mikey Garcia lost to Errol Spence. There’s no same. Everybody said, ‘Errol Spence is the best and whatever,'” said Gibbons.
He says that Spence would be an option for Pacquiao, but he was injured in a car crash last October, and he’s out of the running for the senator’s next fight.
Gibbons isn’t saying which fighter of the three is the leading candidate to face Pacquiao in April, but he did seem to be more animated when talking about Mikey than he did Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia. Gibbons said very about Porter, which seems to suggest that he won’t be the one fighting Pacquiao in April.
Gibbons: Mikey Garcia better fit for Pacquiao
“Mikey actually fits better with Manny because of the size,” said Gibbons. “Manny is more of a 140-pounder. The real pot at the end of the rainbow is Mayweather. Now all of a sudden you have Floyd Mayweather saying, ‘Hey, I’m coming back in 2020, I’m doing two fights, and ones a senator,” said Gibbons.
Mikey is the perfect opponent for Pacquiao. He’s small like him at 5’7″, ring rusty, and not big enough to give him any problems. Mikey is no threat to Manny compared to Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter. Those guys would be tough fights for Pacquiao, but not Mikey.
If Manny wants to impress the boxing world, he’ll take a fight with Porter next, because that’s a guy that would have a chance of beating him.
