Manny Pacquiao won’t box Jeff Horn in a rematch of their WBO world welterweight title fight this year because the Filipino senator will be busy with government duties.
Pacquiao’s unavailability for a proposed November 12 bout was announced Friday by Australian promoters of the fight.
Horn beat Pacquiao in a contentious unanimous decision in Brisbane on July 2, with Pacquiao saying at the time that he wanted a rematch.
But local promoter Dean Lonergan announced: ‘On behalf of the Philippines government, he (Pacquiao) will be part of a delegation that will visit China in the middle of his proposed preparation period for the fight.
‘Pacquiao is committed to fighting again in 2018 and a rematch with Jeff Horn for the WBO world welterweight title.’
American Jesse Vargas, a former WBO welterweight title holder, could possibly take Pacquiao’s place for a fight later this year against Horn, the promoters said. Pacquiao beat Vargas in a unanimous decision last November in Las Vegas.
A week after his loss to former schoolteacher Horn, Pacquiao said he still disagreed with the unanimous decision that resulted in him losing the welterweight title, despite an independent re-scoring of the fight confirming the unheralded Australian’s win.
The WBO said in a statement then that three of the five independent judges who scrutinized the bout awarded it to Horn, one awarded it to Pacquiao and one scored it a draw.
Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, advised him to call time on his career after the defeat to Horn, but the fighter wanted the rematch.
