A year after his split-decision win over Keith Thurman in Las Vegas, Nevada last July 20, Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao’s next fight has been put on ice due to restrictions on sporting events prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.
MP Promotions President and international matchmaker Sean Gibbons speculates possible fight dates for Pacquiao in the latter part of 2020 without giving any assurances.
“It’s just still too early to tell if we will be able to return [to a Pacquiao event],” Gibbons told the media last Tuesday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum, held online. “We are right in the heat of the Covid-19. So, everything is in a holding pattern.”
But he said if opportunity knocks this year, the most probable bout would be with the boxers in the sweltering Middle East, particularly in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
“If they would come around, that would be good for the senator because he really wouldn’t have to miss that much time like he does when he comes to the US,” explained Gibbons, adding that Pacquiao’s fight timeline is from January to July or from July to January the following year because of the hectic schedule of a lawmaker.
Even Pacquiao’s former promoter, Top Rank founder and Chief Executive Officer Bob Arum, also expressed interest in brokering a fight with reigning World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Terence Crawford somewhere in the Middle East such as KSA or Bahrain early next year.
Although the fighting senator has been posting on his social media accounts videos of himself sweating it out in training, he has yet to comment on any matches made.
After staying in seclusion at his Forbes Park residence in Makati City during most of the community quarantine phases, Pacquiao flew to his hometown Gen. Santos City two weeks ago but is expected to return to the city within the next few days.
