Manny Pacquiao’s advisor Sean Gibbons gave an extensive update on a potential fight between Manny Paquiao and Conor Benn.
Pacquiao has returned to professional fighting after a few years focusing on exhibitions and politics, and after crossing paths with Conor Benn in Saudi Arabia recently, the two contenders have started talks, according to Gibbons.
Gibbons explained how the topic was brought up, telling NordicBet: “It was bizarre. There was a year or so ago when we were interested in the Conor Benn fight but then it died down. His Excellency loves fighters and loves Manny Pacquiao so invited him to the show on the weekend and Conor Benn was there doing some commentating for DAZN.
"They are both there at the weigh-in and you had Derek Chisora joking with them saying ‘why don’t you guys fight’ and then Ariel Helwani was there and said ‘are we going to get a fight, how close is it and let’s have a face off’. We weren’t even negotiating but we are now and it went from zero to 100 and now we are certainly negotiating.
“We were there just as guests but all of sudden you saw this interest and buzz around the fight. His Excellency Turki Alalshikh took a liking from what had happened, and it hasn’t been announced but you can tell there is interest in the fight instantly but it comes down to see if His Excellency, who loves the fight, can make it happen in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. That’s the place to make it happen or Eddie Hearn mentioned Wembley and that would do huge numbers.”
While the fight has garnered plenty of early interest, Gibbons added that things are far from certain.
He explained: “There [have] been some preliminary talks that could go very quickly if the parties that promote the shows in Saudi say that’s the fight we want, let’s get it done. There [are] no issues with the fighters, they are ready and want to fight. It can get done now. When you have Eddie Hearn, Conor Benn and Manny Pacquiao on board and want the fight, with rivals to idols being the name of the fight like Eddie and Conor said.”
Gibbons sees no comparison between Benn and Pacquiao, regarding the latter as a legend, and casting doubt on the Briton’s recent showing against Peter Dobson.
“Conor Benn has looked slightly average in his last couple of fights while Manny is a generational guy where there won’t be another one like him,” he claimed.
“He’s a George Foreman, a Bernard Hopkins, and set the record at 40 years old to beat Keith Thurman to win the welterweight world title. Sugar Ray Leonard, Sugar Ray Robinson, Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather couldn’t do it. Manny wasn’t in decline, he got stuck with Yordenis Ugas after Errol Spence Jr got injured. He was by no means shot at that time and you could arguably say he won the fight. Ugas was huge and rehydrated to a light heavyweight. Manny’s shots would have knocked out most welterweights, it was a horrible, horrible fight.”
Live on DAZN: Haney vs. Garcia on April 20. Click here for details.