Filipino ring icon Manny “The Destroyer” Pacquiao may next challenge reigning International Boxing Federation super featherweight champion Robbie “Bomber” Peden of Australia in a 12-round title bout this September at a still undetermined venue. American trainer Freddie Roach told Fightnews.com that after taking on Peden, Pacquiao will then tangle with Mexican superstar Erik “El Terible” Morales in a well-sought rematch before the year ends.
Roach though did not divulge further details with regards to Pacquiao’s future bouts.
The 31-year-old Peden, who holds a 25-2 win-loss record spiked with 14KOs, seized the vacant IBF 130 pounds crown after scoring an eighth round stoppage of Nate Campbell on February 23, 2005 at the Melbourne Park in Victoria, Australia.
On the other hand, Pacquiao is presently embroiled in a legal tussle with his estranged American promoter Murad Muhammad, whom the Filipino bomber accused of amassing huge amount of his purse money in his US fights.
Through his lead counsel Judd Burstein, the 27-year-old Pacquiao filed last month a lawsuit against Murad and the New Jersey-based M & M Sports in a federal court in New York for short-changing him on his ring earnings and other potential money-making ventures.
Pacquiao also wants to recover his $3 million share in pay-per-view earnings during his March 19 showdown against Morales, which Murad claimed for himself. Morales tamed the lion-hearted Pacquiao in that classic 12-round contest at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
