MANILA, Philippines – Kung hindi pa rin makakapag-isip ng kalaban si Manny Pacquiao ay walang magagawa si Bob Arum ng Top Rank Promotions kundi ituloy ang kanyang pinaplanong boxing event sa Abril 9, 2016.
Ito ay matapos ibitin ni Pacquiao ang kanyang desisyon para sa magiging pinakahuling laban niya noong nakaraang Sabado sa Puerto Rico.
“That is my concrete plan, April 9th. I’m going with a show in Las Vegas, hopefully headed by Manny Pacquiao,” wika ni Arum sa panayam ng BoxingScene.com. “If not, we’ll find other talent to go on. But April 9th we’re definitely going ahead at the MGM arena.”
Isang araw bago ang championship fight nina Nonito’ The Filipino Flash’ Donaire Jr. at Cesar Juarez noong nakaraang Sabado sa Puerto Rico ay sinabi ni Arum na ihahayag ni Pacman ang kanyang pinakahuling lalabanan.
Ngunit walang narinig mula sa Filipino world eight-division champion hanggang kahapon.
Kaya naman gulat na gulat si Arum sa nangyari.
“Being surprised is a polite term for it,” wika ni Arum. “But again it’s his career, it’s his life and the announcement will come when it will come, so I’m not there (with Manny), Mike (Koncz) is there. Mike is doing what he can and hopefully it will be made shortly.”
Ang mga pinagpipilian para sa magiging pinakahuling laban ni Pacquiao sa Abril 9, 2016 ay sina world light welterweight titlist at 2014 Fighter of the Year Terence Crawford at welterweight titleholder Timothy Bradley Jr.
Bagama’t may pagkakataon siyang muling labanan si Pacquiao sa ikatlong pagkakataon ay mas gusto ni Bradley na makaharap si Puerto Rican star Miguel Cotto.
Sinasabing pipiliin ni Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs) si Bradley (33-1-1, 13 KOs) kesa kina Crawford (27-0-0, 19 KOs) at Khan (31-3-0, 19 KOs).