Manny Pacquiao has made a final wish in Dubai. He said he wanted to end his career with a bang.
“It’s very important to finish my career with a victory. That’s very important to me,” Pacquiao told Allam Ousman of Emirates 24/7 on Friday.
Everybody has been waiting, guessing who Pacquiao’s final foe for his scheduled April 9 farewell bout will be. But latest developments point to former stablemate Amir Khan having the edge over a few contenders led by the unbeaten American world light welterweight champion Terrence Crawford (27-0, 19 KOs).
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Pacquiao has himself admitted there’s a possibility of a fight with Khan (31-3, 19 KOs), with whom he had trained in Baguio City under Freddie Roach.
Pacquiao said negotiations with the Khan camp are in progress, but there so far has been nothing definite.
It goes without saying Pacquiao would be truly delighted if he’s able to cap his colorful career with a stoppage. He last scored a knockout in 2009 over Miguel Cotto, who’s set to meet Canelo Alvarez on Nov. 21.
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There was a bleary report earlier in the week of a done Pacquiao-Khan deal. This was however promptly knocked out by veteran promoter Bob Arum, who also decried the inadvertence before receiving an apology from the Khan camp.
Clarified Arum: “I said to them, even if Manny Pacquiao picks them, they have to come to Vegas. I have to sit down with the kid and work out a deal—because the deal is far from being worked out. Certain points have been agreed to.”
There has been no word again on the possibility of a Pacquiao final bout against the fearsome and ferocious Crawford, described by trainer Roach as dangerous, strong and too hungry for Pacquiao.
If Khan finally succeeds in sealing a deal to fight Pacquiao, there’s the likelihood it could be staged in Dubai.
Pacquiao on Friday said he would be very glad to fight in Dubai.
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(SILENT STAR: At the final wake for Edgardo “Egay” Gomez at the Arlington Chapels on Wednesday, they never ran out of good things to say about the tall, good-looking college ball celebrity who kept his stardom like a coin in his pocket. No swagger, no false air, Egay, 73, was a sharp and elegant cager, an ever pleasant company who was personally taken in by King Caloy Loyzaga to play for the Yco Painters of Don Manolo Elizalde. Egay passed away on Oct. 31, nearly a month after falling and injuring his back while trying to fix a home cable overhead. He was cremated on Thursday. Pong Llorente, a family friend, said Gomez had hoped for a simpler wake at the Pinaglabanan Church in San Juan City. He was a three-term city councilor. He first played for the Jose Rizal College Heavy Bombers of Kiko Calilan in the NCAA. Egay was also a certified star in the now-gone December time inter-barrio/commercial league at the San Felipe Neri Church patio playground in Mandaluyong, where big names like Tembong Melencio, Ciso Bernardo, Turing Valenzona, Danny Florencio, the brothers Jing and Noli Aldanese honed their skills. Gomez, with the poise and regal bearing of a matador, has lent the game class and dignity.