Promoter Bob Arum believes Nov. 5 would be the date when Manny Pacquiao will return to the ring after consulting with Las Vegas venues that previously hosted Pacquiao’s fights. However, Arum did not say if Pacquiao is cleared to fight on that date.
The three venues that previously hosted Pacquiao include the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Mandalay Bay Events Center and the Tomas and Mack Center, all in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Arum previously mentioned Oct. 15 or 29, but Pacquiao denied he is set to fight on those dates as he has to attend to his numerous duties as a newly-elected senator. Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach also said it’s to soon for Pacquiao to return on the dates mentioned by Arum.
Now the L.A.Times‘ Lance Pugmire says Arum is looking at Nov. 5 fight for Pacquiao without naming his next opponent.
Over the past couple of days, Arum has named Adrien Broner as front runner for Pacquiao’s next fight. Arum said he was indeed talking to Broner’s adviser Al Haymon about the planned fight but after a couple of days he announced that Broner is no longer in the running as Pacquiao’s next foe. Arum cited Broner’s exorbitant purse demand as the reason for the failed talks.
“The price that Broner was asking was for, was too expensive for us. But to say Broner priced himself out is not accurate, because it almost implies that he asked for a number that he knew we wouldn’t meet so he didn’t have to do the fight. I didn’t think that was the case. I think he wanted to do the fight, but the amount that he was asking for was something that we couldn’t afford,” Arum told Boxing Scene.
Danny Garcia was also mentioned as a possible candidate for Pacquiao’s next fight which Garcia himself confirmed after his father reportedly told him about the offer from Top Rank. Arum denied ever talking to Garcia about the Pacquiao fight.
“I never talked to Danny Garcia or anybody connected with Danny Garcia. So I don’t know what the f*** he’s talking about,” Arum told USA Today. “It’s like mental masturbation. It really is. I guess they’re desperate to get an article written about them, I don’t know,” he said
Now, with Broner and Garcia off of Arum’s shortlist, only Terence Crawford and Jessie Vargas remain in contention for Pacquiao’s next fight. (L. Reyes Digital Journals/Philboxing.com)