Seoul searching

But why would Pacquiao come back against an elite fighter at this point in his career?

I am not sure if Manny Pacquiao will really beat up DK Yoo in their “special fight” on 11 December in Seoul.

I also doubt if Pacquiao would go easy on him, either.

Last week, Pacquiao told selected members of the sporting media that he and Yoo, a famed YouTube personality in Korea with more than 600,000 followers, that they are going to go at it as though it is a regular bout. Pacquiao is so serious in making a statement that he is even bringing in long-time trainer Buboy Fernandez to help out in the preparation.

I didn’t get the chance to ask whether training camp will take place at Wild Card in Hollywood.

Honestly, I doubt if they will set up camp there since Pacquiao is not up against a livelier foe like Miguel Cotto or Ricky Hatton.

Besides, the event is just an exhibition, whose proceeds will be used to finance Pacquiao’s housing program down south.

The victims of the ongoing Ukraine war have likewise been mentioned as beneficiaries of the Pacquiao-Yoo showdown in a yet-to-be-named venue in the Korean capital.

Some boxing scribes repeatedly asked Pacquiao if this event will be a prelude to something big.

That something big of course is a comeback to actual competition.

You see, Pacquiao announced his retirement a month after losing to Yordenis Ugas of Cuba in Las Vegas.

And because he was unlucky in his presidential bid, there are talks that he is out to recoup his losses and that one good way to bulk up on funds is to make a ring return.

Personally, I would prefer seeing Pacquiao doing exhibition matches instead of doing the usual boxing matches against real fighters.

Pacquiao is so serious in making a statement that he is even bringing in long-time trainer Buboy Fernandez to help out in the preparation.

Against Ugas, I came to the realization that his era had come to an end.

Of course, there were those who kept on whispering on his ear that he still has it.

Yeah, give him an ordinary guy and Pacquiao would beat that poor chap.

But why would Pacquiao come back against an elite fighter at this point in his career?

To get whacked by an up-and-coming who the Filipino legend would have mauled to bits if he was younger?

Pacquiao doesn’t have to reconsider his retirement because doing that would put his life in danger.

The guy’s got a wonderful family.

Just recently, he went on a long vacation in Europe with his wife and kids, something he hadn’t done for so long because he was either busy with politics or neck-deep in preparations for a big fight.

I spoke to him about his European vacay and his eyes glowed when I told him that he missed me by just a few days in Madrid.

Pacquiao was so delighted to have gone with his loved ones that he and Jinkee have a big project down the road.

“We are thinking about buying a house in Spain,” Pacquiao said.

See what I mean?

That is something he would not be able to say if he decides to stage a comeback.