Source: Alamy Stock Photo
Sean Gibbons says Manny Pacquiao is interested in fighting the likes of Ryan Garcia and Gevonta Davis, and would not fight Jake Paul for £35m.
Manny Pacquiao’s advisor Sean Gibbons has weighed in on the blockbuster clash between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua, praising Paul’s dedication but backing Joshua’s experience and size to dominate.
Joshua is the clear favourite in the boxing betting for the big-money fight, which takes place on 19 December in Miami.
Speaking exclusively to Betway, Gibbons insists the fight will go ahead, dismisses any chance of Paul pulling out, and explains why Pacquiao would never entertain a similar bout.
What do you and Manny Pacquiao make of the fight between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua?
Manny respects Jake Paul. He trains and works as hard as any fighter in the world, he is a real fighter, but you have to think Anthony Joshua has the experience, the size, and everything about it. I have to believe Anthony wins, and he ends it when he wants to end it.
Jake has made the most out of his ability, he started late in life and hired the best people, the best training, the best everything. I just can’t see Anthony Joshua not winning.
Is that what Manny Pacquiao thinks too?
I never really asked him about the fight. We had Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. fighting Jake Paul, and he sent him a few messages, and he said if you stay focused and train hard then you will do well.
But he didn’t win the fight, and he hadn’t fought for quite a while, and it took him time to get loose. Manny doesn’t really comment a lot on fights, but he looks at Jake as a fighter and gives him a lot of respect for being a real fighter, not a YouTuber or being on MisFits.
Does the fight happen or could you see Jake Paul pulling out?
Jake is not pulling out, what does he have to lose? There’s too much money in the fight and his reputation and everything [would be on the line]. He is too far in and has to take the fight now. A lot of people seem to think he will, but he is being paid a lot of money, it would be insane if he didn’t fight Joshua.
Jake could lose to a YouTuber or somebody like Julio [Cesar Chavez Jr.] so why not take the fight. He has prepared the right way with training and has been sparring world-class heavyweights, so Jake has done everything right, but skills are different. When it comes to pulling out of the fight, there is too much money for it not to happen.
Would Manny fight Jake Paul?
You know what? Manny is different than other people. Manny’s a real fighter. He’s a man of honour. Manny fights for money when it makes sense. He just doesn’t fight for money to fight for money.
If he got offered £35m he still wouldn’t be interested. Manny wants to win real fights in his weight, not like a Gervonta Davis who is looking to cash in. Manny has never been about freak shows. Plus, the size difference too.
Manny’s at 147 lbs and Jake Paul is 200 lbs, so Manny is not going to do a fight like that. I don’t think I’ll ever see Manny doing any of those types of fights. I see him taking on a real fight like Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis.
