Looks like Chris Algieri is now a lock to be Manny Pacquiao’s next opponent on Nov. 23 at Venetian Casino in Macau.
And the confirmation can come today.
Top Rank big boss Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, and Joe DeGuardia, who handles Algieri, announced that serious negotiations are ongoing for Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 knockouts) to defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight crown against Algieri.
“We have a Pacquiao offer on the table and we are negotiating that actually as we speak,” DeGuardia told NYdailynews.com Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila). “And I expect that we’re going to have a resolution within the next day or two.”
According to DeGuardia, Arum’s Top Rank has dangled a seven-figure offer for Algieri, who vaulted into prominence when he stunned Russian Ruslan Provodnikov for the WBO light welterweight belt last month.
Arum said that he’s going to meet DeGuardia again on Wednesday, adding that Banner Promotions’ Artie Pelullo, who has options on Algieri, is going to his vacation home in Los Angeles to help finalize the deal.
The 5-foot-11 Algieri (20-0 with 8 knockouts) rose to fame after he fought back from two first round knockdowns to earn a split decision over Provodnikov. Roy C. Luarca