Boxing promoter Bob Arum gave a concrete date as to when Manny Pacquiao will fight again and against whom.
To the surprise of nobody, Manny Pacquiao’s retirement after fighting Tim Bradley was short-lived. When he announced his return to the sport, many speculated when he was going to fight and against whom. But at a recent media appearance, Pacman’s promoter Bob Arum shed some light on the matter.
Courtesy of Lance Pugmire, November 5 in Las Vegas will be the date that Pacquiao will fight, although the venue is still a toss-up between the MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and the Tomas and Mack Center.
As for his opponent, it would be a good idea to keep an eye on the upcoming Terence Crawford vs. Viktor Postol fight (sorry Adrien Broner), since the winner of that will be a front-runner. Crawford is one of the biggest emerging stars in boxing right now, and after he beat Dierry Jean, he said he was ready for a fight with Pacquiao, although he decided to go with Bradley instead.
A win against Postol would make the Pacquiao fight that much bigger, but if he loses, then his ascension to pound-for-pound greatness will take a massive toll.
The other name on Pacquiao’s shortlist is Jessie Vargas, who he could opt for if he’s not able to sufficiently make the weight cut to 140 pounds. As Arum laid it out, “A lot of it depends on if Manny wants to go down to 140. If he decides to go to 140 and Crawford wins, that could be the fight, but if he says… ‘Because of the Senate, I’m not going to be able to get down to 140 comfortably,’ then he’ll fight against Vargas.”
Pacquiao knew he had to balance political duties when he took on this comeback fight, and robbing fans of a bout with Crawford would rub people the wrong way. Once an endearing public figure, Pacquiao’s recent actions have made him a subject of scrutiny, but his achievements in the boxing ring make him a near-unanimous Hall of Famer.
If he’s able to win his comeback fight, he might just end up on good terms with boxing fans again.
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