By: Sean Crose
Eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao surprised a lot of people last summer when – upon his return to the ring – he fought Mario Barrios to a draw. Suffice to say the 46-year-old Pacquiao was not expected to look good on his ring return. Pacquiao, though, is one of those individuals used to pulling off the unexpected. Although the creation of Manny Pacquiao Promotions may not be unexpected, it’s certainly an interesting new endeavor for a man who’s done everything from winning world titles to holding public office.
“It is an honor to bring Manny Pacquiao Promotions to the U.S.,” Pacquiao announced to the media. “Some of my most unforgettable moments happened inside American rings. Now, I want to help create those same moments for today’s fighters.” The goal here is clearly to build big name fighters. “Through talent-stacked events and an elite platform, we’ll showcase the rising stars and seasoned warriors ready to capture the world’s attention.”
Born and raised in terrible poverty in the Philippines Pacquiao rose to become one of the biggest stars of the sport. In fact, now that he’s come back successfully he still is a big star in the sport, although not the Juggernaut he once was. Age has a way of taking that quality away from any athlete or celebrity. With that in mind, however, it’s clear Pacquiao loves the fight game and it’s clear he knows the game well too. Hence marketing in this case to American audiences. There aren’t a lot of popular American based fighters right now. Could he create the next one? There’s no doubt he certainly took America by storm.
As for Pacquiao’s next fight, that remains to be seen. The man is clearly in no rush. When you’ve got the sway and money Pacquiao does, you don’t need to rush for anyone or anything.
