Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach has presided over eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao’s career for the better parts of two decades.
At the age of 41, Roach said Pacquiao could be eyeing a title in a record ninth division against one of boxing’s all-time great middleweights.
“One thing about Manny: He doesn't just want to beat anybody, he wants to beat the best out there. He wants to fight the top guys. I like that fight [versus potential next opponent Mikey Garcia],” said Roach on DAZN's "Boxing with Chris Mannix.”
“But the thing is, Manny might want to go a little bit higher and fight GGG or one of those guys who’s supposed to be the best. I would not advise him to go to 160 pounds, no. That would be a little crazy. But putting him at 147 was a risk at one time … and it worked out really good for us."
Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) has been a titlist at 112, 122, 126, 130, 135, 140, 147 and 154 pound divisions, but will he really consider biting off more than he can chew at 160? Will the fleet-footed Filipino fighter count on his speed to be first and still be able to escape Golovkin’s destructive power?
Pacquiao is undersized against every opponent, and it will be even more so should he ever seriously consider Golovkin.
Even though Pacquiao won a super welterweight title in 2010 with a one-sided bludgeoning of Antonio Margarito, he weighed in at 144.8 pounds for the 150 pound catchweight fight.
Pacquiao is 5'5½ inches tall, while Margarito stood at 5'11". Golovin is 5′10½ inches tall.
The 38-year-old Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KOs) seemingly aged overnight in his last fight against Sergiy Derevyanchenko, a close and competitive unanimous decision win for the IBF middleweight title.
In the bout, Golovkin absorbed the most punches ever from an opponent.
Pacquiao currently competes at welterweight, a division where he enjoyed a renaissance in 2019 with wins over Keith Thurman and Adrien Broner.
"Pacquiao still desires to be the best there is," Roach said. "He wants to make his country better, and he wants to improve everything … He works hard and he'll do the best he can for everybody out there. I think he's good for the country, and I think he'd be a great president. I'd vote for him."
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist and member of the Boxing Writers Assn. of America since 2011. He has written for the likes of the LA Times, Guardian, USA Today, Philadelphia Inquirer, Men’s Health and NFL.com. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan or via email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com.