MACAU – Michael Buffer has belted out his trademark “Let’s get ready to rumble” so many times in a Manny Pacquiao fight, but there’s one bout that he’d be so thrilled and honored to be part of.
If Pacquiao hurdles Chris Algieri on Sunday here at Cotai Arena inside the The Venetian Macao, talks are ripe that the megabout between him and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. might be happening in the first half of next year, according to Top Rank CEO Bob Arum.
Buffer couldn’t hide his excitement on the prospect of belting out his trademark intro in what could go down as the biggest fight of this generation.
“If that fight can happen, there’s no doubt about it’s going to be the biggest fight in the history of the planet earth. It’s gonna be a superfight and I can’t imagine what stadium or arena could hold such a fight because there are so many people who would want to be there,” Buffer told Philstar.com on Saturday after the official weigh-in of the Clash in Cotai II.
With the magnitude of such bout between two of the biggest names in boxing today, the interest from all over the world would reach fever-hit.
“Just this morning, there is this article that says Jerry Jones, the famous Dallas Cowboys Stadium owner, would walk to China to get that fight. There are people in the Middle East who would love to get that fight. Nevada would want to have that. Every place would love to host that fight,” Buffer said.
And he also did not discount the possibility that the fight might happen in the Philippines, which curiously will be celebrating the 40th year of the epic “Thrilla in Manila” next year.
“And the new arena in Manila? Imagine 55,000 to 60,000 coming to the fight of Manny Pacquiao in Manila,” Buffer said.
The famous ring announcer was referring to the newly built Philippine Arena in Bulacan that hosted Pacquiao’s PBA debut during the season opening, which drew a record 52,000-strong crowd.
“There are so many chances for that fight to happen and be big,” Buffer said. “But there’s a fight that will happen at Cotai Arena that we have to think right now.”
Before talks of the fight go full throttle, Pacquiao must not only win against Algieri but do it convincingly.
Buffer believes that Pacquiao has fully recovered from the knockout loss he suffered at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez two years ago.
“It’s gonna be really an interesting fight because, I think, Manny based on his last fight, he has that fire back. A lot of people thought that after the Bradley and Marquez fights, Manny didn’t have the fire anymore. He’s trained hard, he’s worked hard. He’s in a place where he wants to be as a fighter,” Buffer said.
The 70-year-old ring American ring announcer cautioned Pacquiao not to take Algieri lightly.
“But he’s fighting a young fighter who is tall and has shown that he has good legs and athletic ability, that he can move around. So Manny just need to stay focused and use his skills to go after him, which (Ruslan) Provodnikov tried to do but he didn’t have the same skills as Manny,” Buffer said.
Algieri bounced back from two first round knockdowns in June to win the WBO junior welterweight title with a stunning 12-round decision against Provodnikov, who was a former sparring mate of Pacquiao.
Buffer sees the Pacquiao-Algieri fight as a cat-and-mouse chase inside the ring on Sunday.
“This guy (Algieri) won’t come to him. He (Manny) has the power stop him,” Buffer said. “He just have to catch him.”
Editor's note: Philstar.com's special coverage of the Manny Pacquiao and Chris Algieri fight is made possible by Cebu Pacific Air, why every Juan flies.