Khan looms as Pacquiao foe in Dubai
MANNY Pacquiao has a fallback position if Floyd Mayweather Jr. nixes a rematch with him next year.
Being eyed to face Pacquiao, who lost to Mayweather on May 2 in Las Vegas, in Dubai, UAE, is Briton Amir Khan.
Top Rank honcho Bob Arum bared this development as his prized fighter, Pacquiao recuperates at home following a right shoulder rotator cuff surgery in Los Angeles on May 6.
“I just had a delegation from Dubai trying to talk to me about a Manny Pacquiao fight some time early next year in Dubai,” Arum told the Telegraph’s Gareth Davies. “That would be interesting.”
The Dubai group suggested probable opponents, led by Khan, who had expressed interest to face Pacquiao, whom he had sparred with a few times at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.
Khan’s chances of landing a multi-million fight with Pacquiao hinges on the outcome of his bout with New Yorker Chris Algieri on May 29 at Barclay’s Center.
If Khan (30-wins, 3-losses, 19 knockouts) beats Algieri (20-1, 8 KOs), who lost to Pacquiao in lopsided fashion last year in Macau, the Bolton bomber also stands a chance of forging a fight with Mayweather in September.
According to Arum, he expects Pacquiao to be fully recovered before the year ends and will be ready to fight again in early 2016.
Still wearing a sling on his right shoulder, Pacquiao is concentrating on his duties as Sarangani’s lone representative in Congress.
Meanwhile, the eight-division world champion, has agreed to accompany a high-profile Philippine delegation, led by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan, to present the country’s hosting bid in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 18 for the 2019 World Cup.
Also with the group leaving on June 15 are Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, NBA Legend David Robinson and Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant. Roy Luarca
