Manny Pacquiao will go on and fight in April. But it?s not happening on the 28th, not in Macau, not against Korean Injin Chi.
Top Rank big boss and Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum has announced a new date for the coming fight, April 21, and a new venue, the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
The name of the opponent, Arum told ESPN.com, will be announced in the next couple of days. Top Rank is looking for a “good, solid Mexican fighter, and someone tough.”
“Manny will fight in San Antonio and we?ll have an announcement on the opponent in a couple of days,” Arum said.
The 28-year-old Pacquiao, who hasn?t fought since November last year, welcomed the changes.
“Yes, we?re going back to Alamodome,” he said yesterday of his return to the same venue that launched him to stardom in 2003 when he knocked out Marco Antonio Barrera.
Pacquiao will now have to shape up soon, and plunge into serious training by March. And once he gets over the fight, he?ll even be busier as he plans to run for election in May 14.
Pacquiao met with Malaca?ang Chief of Staff Mike Defensor at the Diamond Hotel Monday evening, has given his word that he will run under the administration ticket ? either as mayor or congressman in Gen. Santos City.
Arum cited other reasons for the changes. The biggest, he said, was because of “problems in Macau.”
“We found out that because of certain delays there are only about 4,000 decent hotel rooms in Macau, and that is not enough to handle demand for this event,” Arum said.
Arum said the Macau bout may take place in October. He said holding the fight in Asia, rather than in the US, is more logical since the Korean has a bigger fan base in his own region.
Pacquiao?s political plans were also taken into consideration.
“If he?s going to run for office he needs the time to run,” Arum told ESPN.com. He added that among those being considered for the Texas card are Jorge Arce, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Brian Viloria.
Meanwhile, Juan Diaz gave Pacquiao another option, offering his WBA lightweight belt to the Filipino super featherweight champion.
“If Pacman is coming to Texas on April 21, I believe we have the perfect opponent for him in one Juan Diaz, the reigning WBA lightweight champion,” said Diaz?s manager Willie Savannah in an email to Fightnews.com.
“I noticed that Pacquaio weighed 142 lbs. on the night he fought (Erik) Morales. Juan would be willing to consider putting his belt on the line against the great Filipino champion. “Pacman” vs “The Baby Bull” would be a great attraction in Texas. We are not the type of people to call boxers out, but this is a bout that would be one for the sake of boxing with two young guys putting it on the line,” the report added.
