‘PacMan’ camp confirms fight plans in April but not in Vegas

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Manny Pacquiao AFP FILE PHOTO

 

 

Boxing promoter Rex “Wakee” Salud confirmed that there is indeed a plan for his business partner Filipino ring icon Manny “PacMAn” Pacquiao to fight in April but not in Las Vegas, USA.


Salud is reacting to a report that Pacquiao and his archrival Juan Manuel Marquez are appearing in a double-header against separate foes in April before they fight for the fifth time in September.

“That’s a bright idea by Top Rank chief Bob Arum, but Pacquiao can’t fight in Las Vegas in April maybe, I guess, somewhere else,” Salud said.

Salud explained that the 120-day suspension imposed by the Nevada Athletic Commission on Pacquiao’s boxing license is effective until the third week of April and therefore the Filipino pug cannot book a fight in Las Vegas in that particular month. The suspension aims to protect Pacquiao from sustaining further physical damage after being knocked out soundly by Marquez in December.

“It’s all speculative at the moment because we all know that Manny can’t fight until April and he can’t train. You just cannot simply allow him to fight once the suspension is lifted,” added Salud.

But if Arum decided to push through with the fight, Salud added that the event could be held in Macau, Abu Dhabi or Singapore. He named the following boxers as Pacquiao’s possible opponents: World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, undefeated World Boxing Association regular lightweight champion Brandon Rios or World Boxing Council welterweight champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero.

“They must find a better warm up opponent for Manny,” he said. “Manny must regain first his old deadly form before looking for a September fight against Marquez.”