Provided Manny Pacquiao’s shoulder is fully healed, Bob Arum is hoping to get his top fighter back in the ring for early 2016. Arum, 83, was toying with the idea of staging the event in the Middle East, but is now swaying towards the US due to greater PPV numbers.
Not a bad idea, considering it could be Pacquiao’s last fight given his near-future ambitions in Politics. With Pacquiao soon expected to leave boxing and Arum’s Top Rank label, this would be a wise decision for Arum who’s hoping to entice Amir Khan to the table.
“… I’m not going to make a fight for him [Pacquiao] until he sees [Dr. Neal] ElAttrache,” Arum told the Las Vegas Review Journal. “ElAttrache said he won’t clear him until there’s an MRI. … We’re looking at the first 3½ months of the year. … We’ll look to do it in the States.
“But you have to be careful with the date,” Arum said. “You don’t want to go head-to-head with the [NCAA basketball] Final Four, so maybe it’s in late February or mid-April after the tournament.”
Assuming Pacquiao’s torn shoulder gets the all-clear, just how likely is it Khan will bite? It’s hard to say. On the one hand, Pacquiao would represent a big payday for Khan. It’s a high reward fight, but it’s also relatively high risk, too, despite Pacquiao’s obvious decline recently.
A defeat for Khan, however it comes about, would also shatter a future British blockbuster with Kell Brook. Let’s not forget Al Haymon also represents Khan, and as we all know, Arum isn’t exactly a fan of the influential figure.
But if ever there was a time for Khan to finally topple a Top 10 Welterweight – at last – then this is it. Pacquiao has never looked so beatable, and Khan has a very good chance of out-boxing the aging veteran.
Arum has a plan A, B and C to fall back on, of course. Should Khan turn in a nay, Pacquiao could be dancing with Kell Brook, Terence Crawford or Lucas Matthysse. And what about that Mayweather chap who just hung up his gloves?
“It’s obvious Mayweather isn’t in the picture,” Arum said. “I have no idea if Floyd’s done. I don’t know that Floyd knows if he’s done.”
Ah, man. No Mayweather vs Pacquiao II? Talk about Monday blues, people…
Spill your thoughts. Will you be excited to see Manny Pacquiao back in the ring? And does he have enough left to beat any of the above boxers? The names being optioned aren’t exactly of the tune-up variety, it has to be said.
Mark Phillips is the Head Staff Writer/Assistant Editor at BoxingBase.com, and provides worldwide news, coverage and analysis – he can be reached via our Contact Page.
