Manny Pacquiao Now Reduced into Playing More as Ambassador for the Sport?

Probably that Nov. 2016 fight against Jessie Vargas will be Manny Pacquiao's last fight to be held in American soil as he rides into the sunset of his illustrious career. After winning the WBO welterweight world championship from the game but not as talented Vargas, Bob Arum, Pacquiao's long-time promoter, had revealed his plan of a world tour for the Filipino sitting senator in the apparent purpose of employing Pacquiao as a global model for his sport before he finally hangs up his gloves for good.

To start the tour out, if all things goes smoothly, Manny Pacquiao (59-6, 38 KOs) is going to showcase his declining wares in Australia against local kid Jeff Horn (16-0, 11 KOs). The clash is easily believed by many as one of the biggest boxing spectacle to have ever occurred in the land Down Under should the fight happens in July not really because Jeff Horn, a former teacher, is a star but because he is a local boy and Manny Pacquiao a global sports figure.

 By all accounts, Jeff Horn is still wanting in ring exposure - as well as skills over all - for a Manny Pacquiao opponent despite the Filipino already declining after spending 22 long years of his life fighting. The only notable name in the win column in the fight record of Jeff Horn is Ali Funeka of South Africa and Randall Bailey, a two-division world champion, from the US. All else are relatively unknown.

Next possible stop over for Manny Pacquiao is in Johannesburg, South Africa against the 29-year-old Chris van Heerden. Chris van Heerden (25-2, 12 KOs) is no longer a local resident having relocated to the United States in 2013 but still enjoys a similar popularity in his homeland. In regards to his boxing credentials, like Jeff Horn, he is quite nowhere in the league of Manny Pacquiao. The South African did champion the WBO welterweight category one time and is the current WBA Pan American champion. In addition, he is currently ranked no. 11 by the WBA, no.13 by   the WBO, and no. 13 by the IBF.

Now, a closer look at the possible in-coming opponents for Manny Pacquiao and at the proposed fight locations it would require no Einstein to figure out the beloved 38-year-old boxing icon is apparently being made to fight, at the twilight if his career, as crowd-drawing ambassador of his  sport. His fights in those locations is seen to impact dollar tourism and the local economy - and likely start a flourishing and enduring local fan interest for boxing. Thus the concomitant monetary benefits, in the long run, in the part of the sport's promotional companies like US-based Top Rank Promotions of Bob Arum. Then again, Manny Pacquiao, is still in the possession to earn no small amount of money from those world tour farewell fights.