Home Boxing News Marcus Maidana planning comeback to fight Manny Pacquiao

Marcus Maidana planning comeback to fight Manny Pacquiao

Floyd Mayweather Jr versus Marcus Maidana. Photo credit: Al Bello/Getty Images

Marcos Maidana 35-5 (31) says he will end his five-year retirement to face Manny Pacquiao 62-7-2 (39).

The 36-year-old Argentinian superstar, who fought Floyd Mayweather in back-to-back fights in 2014, is confident he has the tools to upset Pacquiao, 40, who is coming off an impressive 12-round decision victory over WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman 29-1 (22) last month.

Earlier this year the former two-weight world titleholder returned to training but ultimately decided to stay retired despite a lucrative fight offer from Al Haymon.

“I’ve already fought with everyone. Pacquiao would be the only one that I haven’t been in with. I would go directly into that fight,” Maidana told ESPN Deportes.

“What I like is that he comes forward and so do I. It would be like a crash (of two attacking styles).

“I like Pacquiao’s style, it’s going to be a good fight. It’s a fight that people would enjoy. Not like the one with Mayweather where you have to run around the ring.”

Maidana praised Pacquaio for his points win over Thurman at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“It was surprising how he looked,” said Maidana. “He looked better than he did in other fights. He did very well, at 40, it’s surprising.

“There is only one boxer left for me to test myself against, Manny Pacquiao. So with that, we are waiting, I would return for him, I would like to do that.”

Maidana won the interim WBA junior welterweight title against Victor Ortiz in an upset a decade ago, defending the lightly regarded strap three times before dropping a 12-round points decision to Amir Khan for the full title. He defeated Erik Morales by majority decision in 2011 before knocking out Petr Petrov in four rounds for the WBA belt.

In 2013 Maidana dropped Adrien Broner twice en route to a 12-round unanimous decision for the WBA welterweight title.