Manny Pacquiao just finished beating Brandon Rios in convincing fashion in Macau, China, but friend, sparring partner and WBO 140-lb. champion Ruslan Provodnikov isn't sure Pacquiao should continue fighting.
Provodnikov has made his bones with unrelenting pressure and will, while showing a clear love of both doling out punishment and receiving it. Pacquiao was well-known for similar tenacity in the ring, but Ruslan, the "Siberian Rocky," isn't sure that is still part of Pacman's arsenal.
Provodnikov brushed off rumors he may fight Pacman next, and also said he's not sure Manny should continue fighting. "I don't want to fight Manny. I don't need that fight," Provodnikov said. "I think (trainer) Freddie (Roach) should talk to him, because maybe it's time to finish up his career. With a boxer like Rios, Manny couldn't put him away."
Provodnikov didn't make his statements based on an eroding skillset, but rather a lack of viciousness or desire to put Rios' lights out. You could see that he didn't have that same fire, that same desire that he used to have in the past. Rios did all that he could, he couldn't do any more than that. I saw that Manny stopped beating him up in the later rounds and just quietly boxed away."
Manny doesn't seem very keen on hanging up the gloves, though, and his team seems focused on goading Floyd Mayweather Jr. into accepting a big-money challenge. That may prove tough; Floyd Mayweather Sr. said "The Money Team" was unimpressed by Manny's win over Rios.
"I don't call that redeeming yourself," Mayweather Sr. said. "I don't think that's gonna redeem you to justify fighting someone like Floyd. Maybe he could do something like that to fight someone like [Canelo] Alvarez or [Robert] Guerrero. If he whoops one of them, then it's time to get it on. That's what he better do. If he wants to have any chance [of getting Floyd], he better whoop one of them."
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