RING Magazine featherweight king Manny Pacquiao shoots for the International Boxing Federation junior lightweight crown when he fights champion Robbie “Bomber” Peden of Australia in September, two months ahead of his much-awaited rematch with Erik Morales.
Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach, in an interview with boxing website Fightnews.com, confirmed reports that the Filipino ring icon will challenge Peden for the IBF title “sometime in September.”
The venue of the proposed duel and the fighters’ purses have not been set, although Roach said the bout will most likely happen in the United States, where Peden is based.
Pacquiao is currently ranked No. 6 by the IBF in its junior lightweight category, where the No. 1 and No. 2 spots are vacant.
The 31-year-old Peden (25-2, 14 KOs) won the IBF title with an eighth-round technical knockout of Nate Campbell last Feb. 23 in Melbourne, Australia.
Very much a “people’s champion” among his fans in Australia, Peden was a two-time Olympian and a Commonwealth Games gold medalist in 1994.
His only two losses were in IBF eliminators to John Brown (130 lb) and Juan Manuel Marquez (126 lb).
Marquez pulled off a draw against Pacquiao, who knocked him down three times during their epic duel in May last year.
Pacquiao is using the fight against Peden as preparation for his rematch with World Boxing Council super feather champ Morales, possibly in December in the US. Salven L. Lagumbay, contributor
