Boxing Rumors: Manny Pacquiao Eyes Return at Jr. Welterweight in 2015; Ruslan Provodnikov, Danny Garcia Possible Opponents

By Staff Reporter

Dec 01, 2014 11:24 AM EST

Eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao has expressed his interest in moving down to the Jr. Welterweight division if his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. won't happen next year.

Pacquiao said in an interview with AsianFightNews.com that he might move down in weight to fight some of the best fighters in the jr. welterweight division, if his camp can't still convince Mayweather to book a fight with him next year.

"If the fight with Floyd Mayweather happens, it's good for the fans and boxing as a sport. If not, I will continue to fight in the Junior Welterweight division," said Pacquiao, who once captured the lineal title in the division after knocking out Ricky Hatton in the second-round of their championship duel in 2009.

"My most recent bout with Chris Algieri was my last fight in the Welterweight division. Unless Mayweather and Haymon takes the offer and accepts the challenge to fight me, I believe I will never fight at Welterweight ever again."

For Filipino fighting congressman, a move to the 140-pound weight division will allow him to recapture the kind of speed and power that seemed to have abandoned him in the past five years.

Pacquiao hasn't scored a knockout win since his victory over Miguel Cotto to capture the WBO Welterweight Championship in fall of 2009. The Filipino came close to ending that streak when he punched Chris Algieri down to the canvass six times, but the American kept his composure and managed to end the 12-round contest.

Although Pacquiao has been earning big money out of his fights at the welterweight division and could earn as much as $60M in guaranteed money should his showdown with Mayweather pursue, the light welterweight division still presents lucrative matches for the Filipino fighting machine.

Danny Garcia, who currently holds the title as the kingpin of the jr. welterweights, could be an exciting opponent for Pacquiao. Then, there are also several excellent contenders waiting in the wings such as Mayweather's protégé Adrian Broner, Argentine hard-hitter Lucas Matthysse and former sparring partner, the Siberian Rocky, Ruslan Provodnikov.