Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is still waiting for Manny Pacquiao to name his opponent for his farewell fight scheduled for April 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Arum has announced earlier that Pacquiao will name his next opponent during the Donaire-Juarez fight in San Juan Puerto Rico last December 11 but he had to retract his announcement because Pacquiao hasn’t made up his mind on his choice of his next opponent. It has been a week since the scheduled announcement date but Pacquiao remains tight-lipped on who will be his next foe for the April 9 event. Arum is surprised of the delay in naming his next opponent from a list that includes Timothy Bradley, Terence Crawford and possibly Floyd Mayweather if he suddenly comes out of retirement and decides to face Pacquiao for the second time. “Being surprised is a polite term for it,” Arum told Boxing Scene on Wednesday. “But again it’s his career, it’s his life and the announcement will come when it will come, so I’m not there (with Manny), Mike (Koncz) is there. Mike is doing what he can and hopefully it will be made shortly,” Arum said. Regarding the April 9 fight date for Pacquiao in Las Vegas, Arum said he will go ahead with the show with or withour Pacquiao. “That is my concrete plan, April 9th.I’m going with a show in Las Vegas, hopefully headed by Manny Pacquiao. If not, we’ll find other talent to go on. But April 9th we’re definitely going ahead at the MGM arena,” Arum added. Pacquiao, who is celebrating his 37th birthday today (Dec. 17) is still hopeful that Mayweather will accept his challenge for a rematch. Last October, Pacquiao admitted that he was still negotiating with Mayweather. ?I don?t know yet who [will be] my opponent next, but we?re still negotiating right now about the rematch with Floyd Mayweather,? said the eight-division champion through a video Q&A with his fans on his Facebook account. ?Hoping for that.? Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions denied there are ongoing talks saying Mayweather has already retired from boxing. Mayweather has been spotted in Dubai, UAE on a week-long vacation and shopping spree. His presence there has fueled speculations that he could be working for a possible rematch against Pacquiao in Dubai. Read more.
