Manny Pacquiao's boxing future is murky at best.
Pac-Man is still feeling the aftershocks from the earthquaking counter right hand that Juan Manuel Marquez landed Dec. 8, and I'm not just talking about the physical effects.
There are obvious concerns about his health following the KO. The Nevada State Boxing Commission has banned Pacquiao from fighting in Las Vegas because of the injuries he suffered in the fight (ESPN).
The aforementioned reports also states that Pacquiao is being offered $10 million to fight an unnamed opponent in Dubai.
Money is money, and while it is smarter for Pacquiao to retire, that's certainly a handsome offer to consider. Even with the basic appeal of raking in that type of cash for a bout, it all seems to add to a general sense of desperation for the future Hall of Famer.
Since when does a fighter of Pacquiao's stature have to go to Dubai to get paid his worth? He's still chasing a fifth fight with Marquez, and he hasn't even learned if Dinamita is willing to fight him again.
Instead of being one of the most sought after fighters in the world, Pacquiao has now been relegated to chasing fights and opponents.
He is in denial about so many things.
I'm not a doctor, but Pacquiao's KO loss to Marquez was one of the most brutal I've seen in over 30 years of watching or covering the sport.
To assume that there will be no lasting effects from that punch is naive or dangerously dismissive.
Light heavyweight veteran and boxing legend Bernard Hopkins doubts that Pacquiao will ever be the same. He discusses the matter with Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless on ESPN's First Take.
Pacquiao is kidding himself if he thinks the KO won't change him. He's fooling himself if he thinks that defeating Marquez will change the perception fans have of him.
Most of all, he's delusional if he doesn't realize that his career is just about over. He must realize that he really doesn't have anything else to prove. Unfortunately, it seems he may have to learn that lesson the hard way.
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