Who's next for Manny Pacquiao?

If everything goes according to plan, Manny Pacquiao will follow Floyd Mayweather into retirement after his April 9 bout against an opponent to be determined and settle into a career as a politician in the Philippines. Who should boxing’s only eight-division world champion face to close his legendary career? Here are five possible opponents:

Amir Khan (medium risk/medium reward)

This fight loses a little bit of luster because there is no Floyd Mayweather for whom either fighter is trying to audition. Khan has been burned numerous times when it comes to landing that one major fight, and Pacquiao seems pretty secure in riding off into the sunset after April 9. Before Mayweather’s retirement, had Khan soundly beaten Pacquiao, there would be calls for him to face the pound-for-pound king, who would have to face questions of ducking. If Pacquiao were to dominate Khan, it could be used to suggest what a healthy Pacquiao might have done against Mayweather. Now, it’s just a fight between two highly regarded fighters.

That’s still not a bad thing.

Questions surrounding Khan’s chin create the perfect atmosphere for Pacquiao to end his career with a devastating knockout. However, Khan has appeared more formidable at welterweight and possesses the skills to pull off the upset.

Terence Crawford (high risk/low reward)

The switch-hitting 28-year-old from Nebraska has swiftly been climbing up the pound-for-pound ladder over the past couple of years. For diehard boxing fans, this fight would be a dream come true to see if the old guard is willing to pass the torch to the young lion. The risk is extremely high for Pacquiao considering that Crawford is an extraordinarily accurate puncher with power in both hands. However, a fight against Pacquiao would be a massive step up in competition for Crawford, and there’s no telling whether Bud would be able to thwart Pacquiao’s advances, which are unlike any other opponent he’s faced.

The biggest drawback is that Crawford is still building his clout with a mainstream audience and won’t bring much to the table as far as generating PPV buys. Considering that Pacquiao is coming off a lackluster performance against Mayweather, there will likely be pushback to face a relative unknown rather than a more established name.

Juan Manuel Marquez (medium risk/high reward)

Even though Marquez has repeatedly stated that he has no interest in facing Pacquiao again – and promoter Bob Arum also said it isn’t happening – after leaving him in an unconscious heap after their 2012 meeting, perhaps money can persuade Marquez to change his mind. It shouldn’t be as hard of a sell as it is, but Marquez is clearly satisfied with ending the feud on a high note even though he’s 1-2-1 in the feud.

The appeal is that this is easily Pacquiao’s best rivalry, and the revenge theme would dominate the build to the fight. Add that to the fact that this is a totally winnable fight for Pacquiao – he was clobbering Marquez before walking into the right hand heard around the world – and the risk isn’t as high as it would be against someone like Crawford. Making a deal for the fight won’t be difficult considering that they are both under the Top Rank umbrella.

However, convincing the proud Mexican – who needed a once-in-a-lifetime kind of knockout in order to finally win against Pacquiao – to climb back into the ring at the age of 42 will be the problematic.

Timothy Bradley (low risk/low reward)

This would be the toughest sell of these five opponents. Bradley holds a dubious decision win over Pacquiao and was soundly beaten in a rematch that many thought he was more competitive in but just fought the wrong fight. Nevertheless, the series is even at 1-1.

Bradley has proven to be a little more vulnerable as of late, with light-hitting Jessie Vargas nearly securing a dramatic 12th-round stoppage in June. That could be something that intrigues Pacquiao – securing a possible knockout victim – if Bradley can survive Brandon Rios on Nov 7.

Bradley has never been much of a PPV draw, so Desert Storm is the least desirable of the potential opponents.

Adrien Broner (low risk/medium reward)

An absolute long shot, but if there’s a way for Bob Arum and Al Haymon to work together and pull it off, it could be the best scenario for Pacquiao. There is already a built-in storyline of Broner being Mayweather’s fictional “little brother” as well as an obvious good vs. evil narrative that will undoubtedly be harped on by the media. Broner’s style, which features him hard-shifting from offense to defense, is perfect for Pacquiao, who really only has trouble with counterpunchers. Broner certainly isn’t of that ilk.

Broner has become the guy people want to see lose. And, unlike Mayweather, he is beatable. His shtick has worn thin with audiences but is perfect for a fight of this magnitude. And if there’s anything that “The Problem” craves, it’s attention. If he wants to make a boatload of money against a well-known name, this is his best chance to do so. Sure, Broner isn’t the draw he once was, but this fight could have some mainstream appeal.