Manny Pacquiao’s Next Opponent : Yuri Foreman

Posted on | December 1, 2009 | 11 Comments

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After Manny Pacquiao’s great all-around performance and 12th round knockout win over WBO Welterweight Champion Miguel Cotto, most boxing aficionados has been waiting for an announcement as to who will Manny Pacquiao share the ring and exchange fists with next. Who is Manny Pacquiao’s next opponent? A few names have been mentioned, but there has been no final word yet from the Pacquiao camp or from Top Rank’s Bob Arum. Our first series of Manny Pacquiao’s next opponent before the Miguel Cotto fight did get good hits and comments and now we are back to the drawing board as to who Manny Pacquiao will fight next.

In this series of articles, we are going to list down a boxer or two in each post and we’re going to dissect (so scientific) every boxer compared to Pacquiao’s. If you are reading this post, you can also suggest a boxer that you want us to check. You can check this site every now and then for the next feature or bookmark it.

Manny Pacquiao vs Yuri Foreman.

In the past series, we have featured boxers such as Shane Mosley, Edwin Valero, Julio Ceasar Chavez Jr and Miguel Cotto. I predicted that Pacquiao will win against Cotto in a Split Decision due to Pacquiao’s speed, but I was slightly wrong as Pacquiao picked Cotto apart with speed and power in 12 rounds. Manny Pacquiao made history by winning his 7th Division Championship belt by beating Cotto. Currently, a talk for a Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown is on the way but there is no confirmation yet, now let’s search for other contenders. On the Manny Pacquiao vs Miguel Cotto undercard, Israeli and soon-to-be rabbi Yuri Foreman won the WBA World light middleweight title by picking apart then-champion Daniel Santos in 12 rounds. The WBA World light middleweight title! Are you thinking what I am thinking?

Manny Pacquiao vs Yuri Foreman. Yuri Foreman who? Yuri Foreman is an undefeated boxer who just won the WBA World light middleweight title. Does he deserve to be mentioned as Pacquiao’s next opponent? Oh yes he does! For the sole reason that he holds a 154lb championship belt, the WBA World light middleweight title. 154 is 7 pounds north of the current belt of Pacquiao’s current WBO Welterweight Title, his 7th weight division title, and beating Yuri Foreman for the WBA World light middleweight title would mean that he is going to get his 8TH WEIGHT DIVISION TITLE! Yuri Foreman is the next possible opponent for Manny Pacquiao. So now, the statistics:

Name: Manny Pacquiao
Age: 30
Division: Light welterweight
Stance: Southpaw
Height: 5′6½”/169cm
Reach: 67′/170cm
Record: 50W(KO 38)-3L(KO 2)-2D
Rounds boxed: 305
KO%: 69.09%

Name: Yuri Foreman
Age: 29
Division: Light Middleweight
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 5′11″/180cm
Reach: 72″/183cm
Record: 28W(KO 8)-0L(KO 0)-0D
Rounds boxed: 178
KO%: 27.59%

Factors:
Speed: Pacquiao A+ Foreman B+
Power: Pacquiao A+ Foreman C-
Defense: Pacquiao A Foreman B+
Intangibles: Pacquiao A+ Foreman B-

Yuri Foreman is a raw champion. His only major test is against then-champion Daniel Santos and some say also with his Split Decision win against Andrey Tsurkan. With that, Manny Pacquaio would be a big favorite to win against Foreman. Foreman is light-fisted. He only has 8 KO’s in 28 wins but one reason could be he was against bigger men who can withstand his punches or it could be that he really does not possess any power at all which could be a big problem is he will face the Filipino Dynamo. On all the factors, speed, power and defense, Manny Pacquiao wins over Yuri Foreman. It would be best for Foreman to fight more rated fighters and challenge Pacquiao after to make Yuri a more worthy opponent for Pacquiao. Roach and Bob Arum has hinted that they will consider Foreman if the Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather showdown fails to materialize.

This fight, Manny Pacquiao vs Yuri Foreman, is a very easy fight to call. Foreman, like Julio Ceasar Chavez Jr, is still raw though he is a champion which could be a big bait for Pacquiao to get. Foreman is an easy target for Manny Pacquiao and he can’t hurt Pacquiao basing on his KO Percentage. Well, he can jab his way for 12 rounds but don’t ever think Pacquiao will not be able to get in and pound him. He is big and long, but Manny Pacquiao has proven that size doesn’t matter if you are against him. If ever the Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather pushes through, Floyd Mayweather is planning to talk a tune-up fight first in the UK against Matthew Hatton to shake off the ring rust, Manny Pacquiao can take on Yuri Foreman too as a tune-up fight and rake-in cash and his 8th Division World Title.

If Manny Pacquiao vs Yuri Foreman, I will obviously give the W to Pacquiao via a 6th or 7th round TKO. Pacquiao has proven every now and then that he is not a person who backs down from any challenge and that size doesn’t matter. Beating Yuri Foreman does not really give that much credit since Foreman is raw and if he wins critics will discredit his 8th Division world title but who cares? On his way to another history-breaking feat, I wouldn’t mind him having Yuri Foreman as the tune-up fight before the MEGA FIGHT Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather.

What do you think?

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Comments

11 Responses to “Manny Pacquiao’s Next Opponent : Yuri Foreman”

Nick Nichelle Dael
December 3rd, 2009 @ 11:29 am

Good points but still I want Mayweather next. Para mahilom.
iskolares
December 3rd, 2009 @ 11:40 am

sakto pd bai… mura hapit na ma finalize ang mayweather-pacquiao nga bout… ang spoiler sa plan: Pacquiao running for Congress ^_^
olesya
December 5th, 2009 @ 9:39 am

The Rise of Yuri Foreman and his Coach Michael Kozlowski on http://www.BoxingCoachMike.com
olesya
December 5th, 2009 @ 9:39 am

The Rise of Yuri Foreman and his Coach Michael Kozlowski on http://www.BoxingCoachMike.com
olesya´s last blog ..Michael Kozlowski’s Student Yuri Foreman Becomes Professional World Champion
monico
January 1st, 2010 @ 1:27 am

a tune up game at the same time raking in another belt in the junior middleweight division and while waiting for the result of pacquiao-mayweather bout inside the legal court.
"SCORPIO"
January 2nd, 2010 @ 3:50 pm

Only a “Pacman” can beat a “Pacman”..it’s up to Manny, whether he stays traditionally focused or allows himself to “deviate” from the original “Pacman” all Filipinos admire, will dictate the outcome of the fight.
SCORPIO
January 2nd, 2010 @ 3:58 pm

It will still be Manny though ! The 8th title
is not a so-so feat.. it will be wrested from another champion.Strike while it’s hot Manny!
edjer
January 2nd, 2010 @ 10:01 pm

Good to fight Floyd GAY WEATHER rather than Yuri to prove the world who’s the best, but if there’s no chance 8th world title will be the best option. Mabuhay si Money Pacquiao
sarex
January 2nd, 2010 @ 11:16 pm

good choice! buddy,and its true that beating foreman will not give pacquiao much credit but remember he got the 8th belt? As 2 pacman/mayweather fight, manny is running 4 congress while mayweather is kak kak kak kak kak kak kak!
varry cuzette tesorio
January 8th, 2010 @ 9:22 pm

good for manny to fight foreman because he is the heavy favorite if this fight will push. and also if he beat forman, he can also capture the junior middleweight title. mabuhay ka pacquiao!
tau gamm phi
January 12th, 2010 @ 3:40 pm

FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR> AND SR. puro kayo salita puro ka baklaan ang alam nyo mag tatay kayo puro gulang naman lahat ng panalo nyo…
lalo ka na tanda bobo ka naman sa boxing sinalo mo lahat ng suntok kni sugar ray..
ikaw naman jr. puro ka lang gulang wala ka nmn alam sa boxing puro maitim na siko mo pinapanlaban mo.. tapos sasali ka ap sa wrestling ,,, baduy mo,,, chmapion ka sasali ka ng wrestling TANG@… kulang ka lang sa pansin..
c manny pacman ang tru champion ahhahahah