Megabuck bout up for Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao is certain to fight in December, followed by a megabuck bout either late April or early May.

Against whom and where, the eight-division world champion refused to divulge Wednesday afternoon, September 5, at his office in the Philippine Senate.

“My next fight will be in December, then superfight,” Pacquiao told sportswriters.

Among those being mentioned as potential foes for Pacquiao in December are British rivals Amir Khan and Kell Brook in the United Kingdom.

Granting, of course, that Khan, a former sparring partner of Pacquiao, gets past Samuel Vargas at Birmingham Arena on Saturday, September 8.

Money-wise, a return bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr – who beat Pacquiao on May 2, 2015 in the highest grossing ($410 million) fight of all-time – would be the most lucrative.

Also considered in the superstar category are Vasyl Lomachenko and Terrence Crawford, both of whom are under Top Rank of Bob Arum.

Other venues being mentioned for Pacquiao’s next fight are Dubai, Macau, and the USA.

The unbeaten Crawford (33-0 with 24 knockouts) stopped Australian Jeff Horn in nine rounds on March 14 to become the World Boxing Organization welterweight champion.

Horn gained instant fame when he roughed up and wrested the WBO title from Pacquiao in Melbourne in 2017.

A major hitch in Lomachenko fighting Pacquiao is the weight, with the Ukrainian holding court in the super lightweight division.

Although Pacquiao claims he can still make 135 pounds, Pacquiao-Lomachenko, if ever, is most likely to be fought at a catchweight of a little over 140 lbs

The ring stock of Pacquiao, who earlier said he’ll begin training in October, rose again after he stopped, and eventually retired Argentine Wold Boxing Council champion Lucas Matthysse in seven rounds in Kuala Lumpur on July 14.

It was Pacquiao’s first knockout in nine years, erasing notions that he’s fight career is over. – Rappler.com