It has been an exciting month for the welterweight division. With Jaron Ennis moving up and Rolando Romero making waves, it seems like 147 is the place to be. However, nothing compares to the moment Manny Pacquiao made his return after a four-year hiatus. Though he failed to capture the WBC title, ‘PacMan’ proved that he is here to stay, sparking a flood of eager challengers.
First, it was Rolly, who saw the Filipino icon as his ticket to the Hall of Fame. Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn followed suit, with rumors of the Floyd Mayweather rematch also swirling around. Well, on Friday, we got another former champion, desperate to make his mark, calling out Manny Pacquiao.
Manny Pacquiao’s newest challenger
Liam Paro, the Aussie sensation, recently made a successful comeback after losing his IBF super-lightweight championship to Richardson Hitchins. With the victory, Paro looked to become the mandatory challenger to reclaim his IBF throne again. However, it seems his plan has changed. “After 10 years in the sport, it is finally time to go up a division,” Paro told Main Event.
The reason? Well, at 29, he is finding it harder to make the weight and thinks he can tackle welterweight far better. Furthermore, the idea of becoming a two-division champion is too tempting to reject. “I want them all,” he added, issuing a notice to all the champions. However, the top name on his list is none other than Manny Pacquiao. A fight he will cherish more than any championship belt.
Calling out his childhood hero, Paro added, “Everyone knows that I want to fight, I want to fight everyone, and the legend, my favourite fighter, Manny Pacquiao, is back in boxing and back at welterweight. So, get me in there, get me to win a belt, and then bring him to Australia.” The 29-year-old knows that he can only tempt the Filipino icon if he has a championship around his waist. And given Pacquiao somehow has already found a place in the top 10 rankings, he has to move quickly.
A controversial ranking update
A few days ago, Ring Magazine shared an updated welterweight rankings on Instagram. “46-year-old Manny Pacquiao comes in at #9 after returning to the ring in mid-July to challenge for the WBC world title,” the caption read, shocking everyone. Because, despite his gutsy and remarkable return, he’s only fought once in four years and didn’t secure the victory.
Mario Barrios, who retained his title successfully, found his place at 8th, just one above the living legend. At the top of the rankings sits Jaron Ennis, who made his move to 154 official and has vacated the division. Behind him is Brian Norman Jr. at No. 1, followed by Eimantas Stanionis, Giovanni Santillan, Rohan Polanco, Shakhram Giyasov, Alexis Rocha, Raul Curiel, Barrios, Pacquiao at No. 9, and Ekow Essuman rounding out the top 10.
Surprisingly, Rolly Romero, who got elevated to WBA champion status after Ennis’ departure, isn’t on the list. So, it is safe to assume that Manny Pacquiao’s spot might be a short-lived gesture. If not, it can create a huge uproar, given that many active and worthy fighters are desperately eyeing that spot. Do you think Pacquiao’s top 10 ranking is justified?
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