By Mark Vester
Some thought it might be a stretch to see WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao move up to 154-pounds to challenge WBA title-holder Yuri Foreman in March. Top Rank promotes both fighters and offered Foreman as a March replacement for Floyd Mayweather Jr. The people who thought it would never happen said Foreman was just too big for Pacquiao, who fought Miguel Cotto last November at a catch-weight of 145-pounds.
Pacquiao's U.S. business manager Michael Koncz told The Los Angeles Times that Manny was concerned with Foreman's height and rejected the fight as a result. Foreman is 5'11 and Pacquiao is 5'6 1/2. Foreman has several inches in reach and would have likely weighed between 165-170-pounds on fight night.
"Manny's concerned about Foreman's height. We'll go through the entire [welterweight and junior welterweight] categories and see what we can come up with," Koncz said.
Foreman told the paper that he wasn't too upset over the missed opportunity. He said it's an honor to have Pacquiao turn him down.
"It's a real honor the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the world doesn't want to fight me," Foreman said. "Aside from winning the world title, this is the greatest compliment I've gotten in boxing."
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