SHAWN Porter himself volunteered to be Manny Pacquiao’s ‘dance partner’ should the Filipino legend finally returns to the ring sometime March or April of 2020.
A one-time Pacquiao sparring partner, Porter was last seen pushing the undefeated Errol Spence to the limit last September in Los Angeles.
Even though he lost on points, Porter managed to bring Spence where he had never been and almost succeeded in leaving him there.
As Pacquiao’s future remains uncertain, Porter is making himself available for a shot at Pacquiao’s World Boxing Association welter jewels.
“I do think that Manny is the more defining fight as me as well,” Porter told boxingscene.
Pacquiao, who dealt Keith Thurman his first loss in July, is said to be looking at two names: Mikey Garcia and Danny Garcia (no relation).
But Porter, who spent training camp with Pacquiao in Baguio City in 2009, is in hot pursuit of a megabuck matchup.
“He’s also the number one guy on my list,” added Porter, who has a 30-3-1 record with 17 KOs.
The southpaw Pacquiao, who turns 41 today (Dec. 17), has a 62-7-2 mark with 39 KOs.
In his lone other outing this year, eight-division champion Pacquiao downed Adrien Broner in January.
There are reports that a group from the Middle East is keen on bringing Pacquiao but Sean Gibbons, president of MP Promotions, doesn’t see it materializing.
Gibbons also represents newly-crowned World Boxing Organization bantamweight titlist John Riel Casimero and long-reigning International Boxing Federation super-flyweight ruler Jerwin Ancajas.
