By Dan Rafael
Manny Pacquiao will undergo right shoulder surgery later this week to repair a “significant tear” in his rotator cuff, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache told ESPN.com on Monday night.
“We have an MRI scan that confirms he has a rotator cuff tear. He has a significant tear,” said ElAttrache, who was still with Pacquiao at his Kerlan Jobe Orthopedic Clinic office in Los Angeles when he spoke to ESPN.com.
ElAttrache said Pacquiao will be out of action between nine months and a year, assuming the surgery and rehabilitation go well.
The day for the surgery has not been set, but it will take place in Los Angeles, Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz said.
“After speaking with the doctor, it was determined that the best method and approach is for Manny to have surgery,” Koncz said. “Manny is doing OK.”
On Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs) lost a unanimous decision to Floyd Mayweather (48-0, 26 KOs) in their long-awaited welterweight championship showdown — the richest fight in boxing history and one of the most anticipated bouts of all time.
“Manny did the best he could under the circumstances,” Koncz said. “We have to give Floyd credit, too. Floyd was the better man [Saturday] night. Floyd did a tremendous job, and he won the fight.”
Pacquiao, known for his aggressive style and all-out attack, was clearly not the same offensive-minded fighter he has typically been, and after the fight, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said Pacquiao suffered a shoulder injury in training camp about 2 weeks earlier and that it hampered him in the fight. ElAttrache said surgery was the only choice for Pacquiao.
“Once you know he has a tear that’s not going to heal on its own, then the decision for an active person is you want to try to fix this before it gets bigger,” ElAttrache said. “If all goes as expected with the surgery and the rehab is successful, Manny could be back training in about six months. At that point, he will be regaining strength and endurance, and competition is reasonable within nine months to a year. But this is a severe enough tear that it won’t heal without being repaired.”
