Manny Pacquiao raises a fist after defeating Lucas Matthysse at their WBA welterweight championship match in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Sunday. Lai Seng Sin, Reuters

Manny Pacquiao recently scored a solid comeback victory as a boxer. But as a promoter? Well, that remains to be seen.

On the surface, fight analyst Ed Tolentino said it looked like Pacquiao cleared the hurdle when his MP Promotions successfully staged the WBA welterweight title fight against Lucas Matthysse in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend.

“Growing-up pains itong nangyaring promotions niya kay Matthysse. In fact, up to the last minute, nagkaroon ng maraming aberya, di ba? Pero nairaos naman niya,” Tolentino said, referring to the financial issues that hounded MP Promotions in the weeks leading up to the bout.

But MP Promotions was able to settle its obligations and the fight pushed through as planned. Pacquiao won by via a seventh-round technical knockout.

ANALYSIS: Pacquiao gave Matthysse a methodical, mental beatdown

“Mukhang wala na tayong maririnig na alingasngas pagkatapos nito. So given the scenario thumbs-up para kay Manny Pacquiao, very encouraging,” Tolentino said.

But boxing analyst Dennis Principe believes that a victory in the boxing ring is not necessarily the same as promoting fights.

“From the outside looking in, because of the victory, siyempre isipin mo successful. But 'yung talagang nangyari sa loob, finances, hindi pa natin alam 'yun," he siad. 

"It looks like successful because Manny won." 

A lot of statistics will have to be considered regarding the profits and return of investment, Principe noted.

“Hindi pa natin alam ‘yung numbers, 'yung mga nanood, ilan? ’Yung ginastos nila?” he asked.

“Sabi nga nila halos kalahati ng gobyerno nandoon sa Malaysia; knowing him, siya sumasagot ng mga yun. It remains to be seen business-wise kung success 'yung laban na ito and that information would come from their camp.”

READ: Duterte wants Pacquiao to retire from boxing

Being a boxer and a senator at the same time is tough enough. But adding another demanding task like handling promotions could hurt Pacquiao, warned Tolentino.

“Hindi naman siya pinagbabawalan, mas maganda nga pagkatapos ng career niya ito na ang tumbukin nya, ang pagiging promoter dahil alam niya ang business of boxing 'di ba? This is where he belongs,” he said. 

“Pero ang pagsabayin, medyo delikado iyon. Suwerte at si Matthysse lang ang nakalaban niya dito. E kung medyo mabibigat? Like Terrence Crawford, (Keith) Thurman, (Vasyl) Lomachenko? You don't want na kunin pa ng mga promotional agenda ang oras mo sa training.”

(For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website.)

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