Manny Pacquiao eyeing Shakur Stevenson before year ends

Manny Pacquiao is targeting a fight against undefeated American Shakur Stevenson.–Photos from MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER/AFP

MANILA, Philippines–Manny Pacquiao has his eyes on a generational showdown with undefeated American Shakur Stevenson after the Filipino ring legend’s rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. was postponed indefinitely.

According to BoxingScene, citing an “official” close to the situation, Pacquiao “is in advanced negotiations to return to the ring by year’s end,” possibly against the 29-year-old Stevenson.

READ: Pacquiao-Mayweather rematch postponed indefinitely

Stevenson (25-0, 11KOs), a consensus top-five pound-for-pound fighter today, is “one of the names being talked about” as a potential next opponent for Pacquiao.

Pacquiao (62-8-3, 39 KOs) came out of a four-year retirement and showed he can still compete at a high level after battling then-WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios to a majority draw.

But beating Stevenson, a defensive guru with lightning-quick hands, is expected to be a tall order for Pacquiao at this stage of his career. The Hall of Famer turns 48 this December.

READ: Shakur Stevenson now 4-division champion, beats Teofimo Lopez

Stevenson, a southpaw like Pacquiao, captured the WBO junior welterweight title eight months ago by demolishing Teofimo Lopez at Madison Square Garden in New York to become a four-division world champion. He is also a silver medalist in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Pacquiao also reportedly entered negotiations with newly minted IBF welterweight champion Liam Paro, but no deal was made.

Paro (28-1, 16KOs) called out his “idol” Pacquiao after beating Irish Lewis Crocker by unanimous decision to win the IBF crown last June in his hometown of Queensland, Australia.