The search for Manny Pacquiao?s next opponent met another roadblock Thursday as Scott Harrison of Scotland officially signed up with an Ethiopian-born fighter for his October 29 fight.
Frank Maloney, Harrison?s manager, announced that his ward will fight Samuel Kebede at the Braehead Arena in Harrison?s native Glasgow.
Maloney was quoted at boxrec.com as saying that ?there were much easier fights out there, but nothing motivates Scott more than taking on an undefeated challenger.?
As of press time, nobody from Pacquiao?s camp could be reached for comment.
Harrison is the 130-lb champion of the World Boxing Organization (WBO). Kebede, unbeaten in 24 fights, mostly eight-round affairs, is ranked No. 5 in the WBO.
Following the collapse of negotiations with top-caliber North American fighters, it was hinted that it was no less than Pacquiao himself who had shown interest in Harrison as his next foe.
Mexican champions like featherweight Juan Manuel Marquez, super-featherweight Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera all declined offers to fight Pacquiao, raising speculations that big-name fight promoters, who are anxious that the streaking Pacquiao would mean bad business to their stable of fighters, are deliberately keeping the Filipino out of the North American scene.
Despite no clear fight plans, Pacquiao still flew to California last week to begin training at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.
He was accompanied by business manager Rod Nazario; Pacquiao?s younger brother, Bobby, the Philippine super-featherweight champion; and super-flyweight prodigy Z Gorres from Cebu.
In a separate Internet report, Marquez and his promoter Bob Arum insisted that they still want a rematch with Pacquiao, which may be set sometime early next year.
Just last month Arum also promised Pacquiao a bout with Morales. Within a couple of days after ?verbally agreeing? with Nazario, Arum signed up Barrera instead to fight Morales.
Pacquiao defeated Barrera in November last year via a technical knockout, Barrera?s first such loss in a stellar 15-year career.
Pacquiao and Marquez drew their match in May, a bout strongly considered as this year?s best fight.
Marquez is scheduled to fight Orlando Salido on September 18 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for Marquez?s International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Association titles.
On November 27 on the same venue, Morales and Barrera slug it out for the World Boxing Council (WBC) and the IBF super-featherweight belts.
