• Manny Pacquiao v Juan Manuel Marquez

Pacquiao eyeing 'easy' Senchenko fight

ESPN staff
October 26, 2011
Vyacheslav Senchenko is unbeaten from 32 professional bouts © PA Photos
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Kell Brook's path to a world title could be obstructed by Manny Pacquiao after the Filipino's trainer, Freddie Roach, claimed his man is weighing up the possibility of fighting Vyacheslav Senchenko.

Roach has admitted that Pacquiao is running out of opponents at welterweight and, with no Floyd Mayweather Jnr bout on the horizon, one of the few options available to him is Senchenko, the WBA champion.

Brook was expected to battle Senchenko at some point in 2012, having proved he is ready for a world title shot by dismantling Rafal Jackiewicz earlier this month. However, the Ukrainian's financial clout has now placed him firmly on Pacquiao's radar - and that is a more lucrative clash than one against Brook.

"The Ukrainian people haven't seen Manny, and Senchenko's promoters are very wealthy," Roach told the Philippine Star. "His promoters control the coal and metal mines in the country. Manny could fight Senchenko in Ukraine for a lot of money.

"In the event they meet, Manny will win easy. I remember legends like Sugar Ray Robinson when in the course of winding up their careers, they would go to fight in different countries and earn big purses. If Manny wants to do that, Ukraine would be a good destination."

Senchenko, 33, is unbeaten from 32 professional bouts (21 KOs) and has made three defences of the WBA strap he claimed in April 2009.

Brook and Pacquiao also have the option of Andre Berto, the American IBF champion whose only career loss came against Victor Ortiz.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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