Eddie Hearn Offers Four Opponents for Manny Pacquiao on Fury vs Joshua Undercard
Hearn pitches Catterall, Walker, Crocker and Cordina as potential Pacquiao opponents in Cardiff.
Eddie Hearn is playing matchmaker for Manny Pacquiao. The Matchroom boss has put forward four names as potential opponents for Pacquiao on the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua undercard in Cardiff on December 11.
The four fighters Hearn proposed are Jack Catterall, Conah Walker, Lewis Crocker, and Joe Cordina. "If you need an opponent for Manny Pacquiao, we've got Jack Catterall, Conah Walker, Lewis Crocker and Joe Cordina," Hearn told reporters, per Boxing News 24.
There is a catch with the Cordina option. Hearn admitted he hasn't discussed a welterweight move with Cordina, who would need to jump two full weight divisions from lightweight to make the fight happen. As an alternative, Hearn suggested Cordina could face rising star Abdullah Mason instead, keeping him at his natural weight.
Pacquiao reportedly has "some kind of agreement" with promoter SELA, who is involved in staging the Cardiff event. The 47-year-old Filipino icon has been linked to a comeback fight on the massive Fury-Joshua undercard, though nothing has been formally announced.
Of the four names, Catterall and Crocker are the most realistic options at welterweight. Both are hungry, both are dangerous, and either would give Pacquiao a legitimate test if the legend decides to lace them up one more time in Wales.
Pacquiao fighting on the Fury-Joshua undercard in Cardiff would be absolutely insane. The man is 47 years old and he's still getting talked about for cards like this. That tells you everything about what he means to the sport.
Of the four names, Catterall makes the most sense to me. He's a legitimate welterweight, he's technically sharp, and he'd give Pacquiao a real fight without being a career-ending risk. Crocker is interesting too, a young, heavy-handed Irish kid who would bring his own crowd. Cordina at welterweight is a stretch and I don't see that happening.
The bigger question: should Pacquiao be doing this at all? Look, I'm not going to tell a grown man and eight-division champion what to do. If the money and the moment are right, and the opponent is fair, let him have his night in Cardiff. Just don't feed him to somebody who's going to hurt him.
