Manny Pacquiao far from finished ahead of Macau fight, insists Bob Arum
Promoter Bob Arum insists Filipino is far from finished, but a third consecutive defeat in November's showpiece would surely spell end
With naysayers predicting the beginning of the end for Manny Pacquiao, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum says the Filipino superstar is far from finished - and he will prove it in Macau in November.
Pacquiao, one of the biggest names in boxing during the past decade, returns to the ring for the first time since a stunning sixth-round knockout loss to Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez last December. It was his second straight defeat including his loss to American Timothy Bradley in a controversial decision last June.
Consecutive losses are hard for any fighter to swallow and already writers and observers are knocking down the Filipino like the right hook Marquez delivered in Las Vegas.
With his reputation on the line, Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KOs) will be trying to pick up the pieces when he fights American Brandon Rios (31-1-1, 23 KOs) at the 15,000-seat Venetian Cotai Arena.
Calls for 34-year-old Pacquiao to retire and be "proud of his achievements" have rung louder than the opening bell. Even his trainer, Freddie Roach, said Pacman must pack it in if he loses again.