Manny Pacquiao: 'Please fall in line'

MANILA, Philippines — Keith Thurman defended his WBA (super) welterweight title last Sunday then called out Manny Pacquiao while the Filipino icon was in Hong Kong sipping wine with Chinese business magnate Jack Ma.

“I would most likely definitely take the Manny Pacquiao fight this year,” said Thurman, the 30-year-old American, after turning back Josesito Lopez on points at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

“I’m ready to fight wherever Pacquiao wants it,” he said.

Pacquiao was thousands of miles away, with his family, enjoying his most recent victory – a unanimous decision over 29-year-old Adrien Broner.

If Thurman’s message ever reached Pacquiao, the Filipino senator would have responded by saying, “Please fall in line.”

A handful of fighters are on his trail since the eight-division champion recovered his winning ways, first with a seventh-round TKO win over Lucas Matthysse last July and then over Broner.

Australian Jeff Horn, who stunned the world when he defeated Pacquiao in Brisbane in 2017, had called Pacquiao’s name even before the final bell at the MGM Grand sounded nine days ago.

Then there’s Shawn Porter or Errol Spence, Mikey Garcia or Terence Crawford.

But among these fighters seeking the rare chance to face Pacquiao and earn millions, Crawford is considered an outsider, being a Top Rank fighter.

Pacquiao, Thurman, Porter, Spence and Garcia are all under the PBC (Premier Boxing Champions) banner of Al Haymon, with whom the 40-year-old Pacquiao had hooked up prior to the Broner fight.

Haymon is a two-time BWAA (Boxing Writers Association of America) Manager of the Year awardee but better known as Floyd Mayweather’s adviser.

Pacquiao can’t name a next opponent yet.

“I will ask Al Haymon and PBC about future fights,” said Pacquiao.

“It’s hard to say who is my (next) opponent. We will announce that in a proper time. But I’m still here. I will not pick an opponent. Whatever my promoter gives me. That’s my promoter’s job,” he added.