Pacquiao faces younger opponents in his remaining fights

9:00 PM July 6, 2014

Dear Diary,

When Manny Pacquiao first fought Marco Antonio Barrera on Nov. 15, 2003, he's only 24 old years, a month and few days short on his 25th birthday. While Barrera is 29 years old. Barrera is sitting at the top of the featherweight division. He's at the peak of his career. But Pacquiao made Barrera looks old on that night. He's a hungry lion that took Barrera's pride.

From 2003 until 2011, Pacquiao has been fighting older but more experienced opponents, except Jorge Solis (born 1979), and Miguel Cotto (1980). He won all those fights. He beat Morales, Marquez (twice) Barrera, Diaz, De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton. These fighters are either current champions of former champions when Pacquiao defeated them. 

But at this point of Pacquiao's career, he would probably face younger and younger opposition in the remaining fights of his career. He's now in the position of older lion. And younger lions are just around, ready to take over his pride.

I thought that Pacquaio's career was over when he suffer back-to-back losses in 2012. In his comeback fight in 2013, a younger opponent in Brandon Rios challenged him. The older lion prevailed. Last April another young lion and former conqueror (at least on paper) in Timothy Bradley challenged him. The older lion still prevailed.

But until when can Pacquiao keep his pride intact? I'am sure he will face younger and younger opponents in all of his remaining fights. Marquez (another old lion) still ruled out a fifth fight with him. 

Chris Algieri, Terence Crawford, Shawn Porter, Kell Brook and Danny Garcia are few of the hungry lions looking for a pride to take over. I'm sure one of these names will be Pacquiao next opponent. My Dear Diary, who do you think among the names I mentioned above would retire Pacquiao?

Pacquiao is tentatively set to comeback in November most probably in Macau, China. Apart from those names above, Amir Khan (27) is also a hot name that floats whenever Pacquiao next bout is discussed. Robert Guerrero's (31) name also has been mentioned to be Pacquiao's next opponent following his FOTY candidate war with Kamegai.

Retech