Manny Pacquiao boxing news
Manny Pacquiao’s veteran promoter, Bob Arum, has confirmed that the Filipino superstar will fight one last time in April before calling time on his long and illustrious career.
Pacquiao was last seen in May’s disappointing mega-fight with Floyd Mayweather, a fight that will always be overshadowed by his decision to enter the bout carrying a shoulder injury – an injury that later required surgery and ruled him out of fighting for the rest of this year.
It has emerged that Britain’s Amir Khan will not be facing Manny Pacquiao in a fight early next year, as was previously mooted, and has been forced to concede that he is looking at other options, including former foe, Danny Garcia.
It was widely believed the two camps were in advanced negotiations, with Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum conceding as much, before doing a very public about-turn and insisting Argentine puncher Lucas Matthysse had moved up the pecking order to face Pacquiao instead.
While Pacquiao’s possible impending retirement is a hot topic in boxing, his next opponent is also of much interest. Since it is assumed that Pacquiao doesn’t have much time left in the sport of boxing, although it is hard to say when he will actually hang em’ up, boxing fans are hopeful for a few good fights.
In a recent interview Manny threw a bit of a curve-ball, mentioning that camp Pacquiao is not only talking to camp Khan about a possible bout, but is also apparently negotiating with recently retired Mayweather Jr.
The President of the Qatar Boxing Federation Yousuf Ali Al Kazim and AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu welcomed a true legend of modern boxing, Manny Pacquiao, to Doha for the AIBA World Championships on Thursday morning.
“It was an honour to be invited by Dr Ching-Kuo Wu and AIBA and Yousuf Ali Al Kazim, and it is a pleasure to be here among these exceptional boxers and supporting my fellow countryman Rogen Ladon at the historic first edition of the competition in the Middle East,” said the eight-time World Champion.
Whomever ends up in the opposite corner if/when he eventually returns from injury next year, Filipino superstar and multi-weight world champion Manny Pacquiao has given the clearest indication yet that he is ready to call time on his epic 20 year professional boxing career.
Pacquiao, who turns 37 in December, has been recovering from the shoulder surgery he underwent in the wake of May’s disappointing fight with Floyd Mayweather, and is set to return in the first part of next year according to promoter Bob Arum, before re-emerging himself in his burgeoning political career in his native land.
They say the best things come to those who wait, and in Amir Khan’s case that’s half true, as after missing out on a Floyd Mayweather fight after over 2 years of very public chasing, the British former 140 lb champion looks set to land his “plan-b” and secure a 2016 clash with Filipino superstar, Manny Pacquiao instead.
Khan turned his attentions to “Pac-Man,” ostensibly as a next best thing after failing to land the Floyd fight, and with Bob Arum last week confirming that talks were well underway and he wasn’t looking at any other opponent for his fighter, it seems a fight is on for the first part of next year, although exact details need ironing out.
Retirement is a funny thing, because when one is retired they never get a day off.
Whether it’s the money, thrill, pride, or the all mighty crowd effect, like most of the famous fighters, Floyd Mayweather Jr. will not be able to feed off of the limited attention from the world during his leave. He retired before, and he will retire again.
Manny Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum has confirmed that talks between his Top Rank outfit and Amir Khan’s own promotional team – including the Brit’s lawyer Robert Davis – are underway for a 2016 fight between the two former Wild Card stablemates.
Arum stated last week that Pacquiao was due to have a scan in the Philippines on the shoulder he injured in May’s mega-clash with Floyd Mayweather, with the results due to be sent to Dr. Neal ElAttrache in the US – the man who performed the surgery on the Filipino star in the aftermath of the fight – however Pacquiao himself has been insistent for some weeks now that the shoulder is ‘fine,’ dubiously claiming he had been healed by the power of God as well as immersing the shoulder in saltwater while swimming in the sea.
After a pretty serious shoulder surgery, some convenient divine intervention and regular immersion in that most hallowed of medicinal aids – [saltwater], Manny Pacquiao will return to action no later than April of 2016 according to his promoter Bob Arum.
After tearing his rotator cuff in May’s disappointing mega-fight with Floyd Mayweather, there was some initial speculation that the Filipino would be looking to close out his contractual obligations and wind down his Hall of Fame worthy career with a couple of lower-key fights before retiring, although speaking to ESPN.com, Arum has confirmed that is not the case.
Now that the Mayweather Jr. vs. Pacquiao fiasco is behind us, news times bring new challenges for both champions.
Mayweather Jr. has decided to face Andre Berto in his supposed career closing bout, which sprouted an avalanche of understandable criticism. In his decision, Mayweather Jr. likely deflated his earnings by a very considerable amount, and lost admiration from many fans.
For Pacquiao, who wants to continue his career claiming that his desire to fight is as strong as ever, there is also a lack of admirable opposition. Nonetheless, there are plenty of big name fighters that he could face that pose very little risk to the Filipino sensation.