“Something I never thought I’d see” - Manny Pacquiao intent on challenging Gervonta Davis next at 147-pounds, fans erupt

Manny Pacquiao is an all-time great boxer, as well as a Filippino sports legend, and is the first, and thus far, only 8-division world champion in boxing history. Despite his incredible legacy, Pacquiao is 44 years old, declining from a physical standpoint, and hasn't fought since 2021.

His age, however, hasn't deterred him from expressing a continued desire to compete in the sport. This time, however, Manny Pacquiao has stunned the combat sports world by allegedly announcing his intention to face undefeated, three-division world champion Gervonta Davis.

It isn't the first time that Pacquiao has expressed an interest in continuing to box, as he recently spoke about winning an Olympic gold medal for the Philippines. A matchup with Gervonta Davis, however, represents a different challenge entirely and will likely be a big money fight if 'Tank' accepts it.

While there's no word yet on whether Davis will accept the bout, fans have taken to X to react to the news. One fan shockingly claimed that Manny Pacquiao, despite being in his mid-forties, would still beat Gervonta Davis:

"Pacman would still smoke him"

A different fan, however, disagreed with that take, instead stating that Davis would easily knock Pacquiao out:

"He'd get knocked out easily"

One fan expressed disbelief at all the talk about the matchup:

"Something I thought I’d never see"

However, one fan was skeptical of Gervonta Davis accepting such a bout, referencing to the champion's past fight with Ryan Garcia and the rehydration clause that defined it:

"He won't even move up to 140 to fight Ryan Garcia dude needed a rehydration clause and a catch weight to fight him. He DEFINITELY not fighting manny at 147."

A collage of fan reactions can be seen below:

Fan reactions

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Manny Pacquiao's rivalry with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Manny Pacquiao's chief rivalry was with the great Floyd Mayweather Jr. Both men were linked throughout most of their careers, especially at their peak. A bout between them was teased several times but failed to come to fruition when they were at the peak of their powers.

When the fight did finally happen in 2015, neither man was in their prime, and Pacquiao was nursing a shoulder injury. Thus, the bout was largely uneventful, widely regarded by many as not living up to the hype, and ended with Mayweather winning via unanimous decision.