‘Maligayan Pabalik,‘ that’s Tagalog for ‘Welcome Back‘! The former world champion, boxing’s lone 8-division titleholder, and now Hall of Famer has been hogging the headlines. At the kickoff presser in Las Vegas, Manny Pacquiao finally saw his opponent, Mario Barrios, face-to-face. A milling crowd had gathered to watch one of boxing’s all-time greats commence a fresh title run against the WBC welterweight champion 16 years his junior.

But it’s not the Manny Pacquiao fans were used to seeing in the past. It’s a 46-year-old veteran whose last fight, four years ago, ended in defeat. So opinions continue to fall on either side of the fence. While some are excited about the PacMan’s return, others have voiced concerns. Will he continue after the Barrios fight? That’s another question that continues to bother a few. But credit Pacquiao, for he could anticipate such posers. With names like Rolando Romero and Gervonta Davis popping up for potential matchups, questions over his next outing abound. However, the living legend doesn’t seem to be in a hurry, it seems.

Manny Pacquiao: No need to rush

Post-press conference, Pacquiao interacted with a bunch of reporters. Sharing his thoughts on his hotly debated return, the former world champion thanked God and said, “Boxing is my passion. I’m so passionate about it, so I’m excited to be here, and, uh, that’s, uh, God’s blessing that, uh, I’m able to come back and, uh, with good health and, uh, um, of course, able to fight again.” Despite the odds, he loves the challenge. So, a few more questions later, a reporter dropped the bomb. “Manny, when you beat Barrios, what’s next? Are you going to fight Ryan Garcia? Haney, Lopez, and Gervonta Davis, are you ready to go through these fights?”

And the response? “One at a time,” with a big smile, the boxing great replied. But the reporter didn’t seem willing to let him go so easily. “But you want those guys?” They asked. So with a bit of vagueness, Pacquiao stated, “We’ll see, we’ll see, we’ll see. I always Uh, I cannot say after this I’m going to fight like that, you know, but one at a time, after the fight.”

Perhaps the PacMan knows how much he can push himself. His return might have thrilled many. But there’s only so much he can do. It’s not the Pacquiao who demolished Margarito or Hatton back in the day.

Is this something we really need?

But talking about bygone days, years ago, when Elie Seckbach asked him about a potential comeback fight against either Ryan Garcia or Gervonta Davis, Manny Pacquiao responded, “Gervonta Davis is a good fighter. If he comes up to 147 lbs., we can fight at 145 lbs., maybe. That’s not a problem for me.”

But the big question lingers: Is it even required? Even if Gervonta Davis shows a willingness to climb up divisions for a face-off, does a fight make any sense? For one, the Baltimorean, who will turn 31 by the year-end, is not Barrios. Even at a catchweight, he might prove too much for Pacquiao, fifteen years his senior. Add to that the purported retirement plan.

Or perhaps it might end up the way Chris Mannix recently summarized. “It’s meaningless because if Barrios wins, he’s never going to fight a Boots Ennis. If Pacquiao wins, he’s not going to fight anybody ever again.” So, fans should hold their horses. A wait-and-watch approach best suits this scenario. First, Pacquiao has to beat Barrios and then weigh in – whether he can proceed or just stop.

Do you want to see the Pacquiao-Davis matchup?