Manny Pacquiao To Have Just Two More Fights After Bout With Cotto?

by James Slater - It seems it could be a case of enjoying the great Manny Pacquiao while we can. The pound-for-pound king and all-time great has said in the past that he may only have a few more fights before calling it quits on a quite sensational career, and now his trainer Freddie Roach, as quoted by ABS CBN News, has said his fighter has told him he will fight just two more times after November's battle with Miguel Cotto..

Of course, "Pac-Man" is speaking from the perspective of him winning on November 14th, for if Manny were to lose in an upset his plans would perhaps alter some. But even if he were to do away with Cotto with some ease, it appears as though we have only a few fights left in which to cherish and appreciate the fighter who has been referred to as a modern day Henry Armstrong.

But - just who will be the two fighters Pacquiao gets it on with as he attempts to further cement his place in boxing history? Two fights isn't many, so it is to be hoped "Pac-Man" makes sure his final two victims, sorry, opponents, are top quality operators; the kind of fighters the fans want to see in there with the Filipino dynamo. I think we know who one of these two fighters is!

Providing he does indeed beat Cotto in his final fight of 2009, and providing the returning Floyd Mayweather Junior gets past Juan Manuel Marquez two months before, fingers will be firmly crossed that the two modern day masters agree terms and give us the super-fight we all want to see in 2010. Simply put, it would be awful if this potentially awesome fight did not take place.

As to Pacquiao's other fight before retiring, if he gets past Mayweather he could pretty much pick who he wanted for a "Farewell" type fight - even more so if he were to beat "Money" decisively (dare I say by a KO!)

It's reasonably safe to assume that Pacquiao will fight out the remainder of his career at either 140 or at a catch-weight poundage of around 143-145, therefore a number of top welterweights will continue to offer to boil down in weight to land a huge money fight with "Pac-Man." Manny is in a position to be able to call the shots, so why shouldn't he do so.

"Sugar" Shane Mosley remains a possibility for Pacquiao's next or last opponent, even though the 37-year-old's efforts at landing the date Cotto now has resulted in zero. Another possibility for Manny could be Marquez, if he upsets Mayweather. We could all stand for a third instalment of Pacquiao-Marquez, that's for sure.

Really, whoever he fights after his anticipated rumble with Cotto, Pacquiao fans the world over will be tuning in. But will the 30-year-old superstar be able to stick with his two-more-fights-after-Cotto plan and really retire? Or will Manny, as has been the case with so many other fighters who had a retirement plan all mapped out, be unable to hang up the gloves when the time comes?

Source: eastsideboxing.com