Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan. File photos
Manny Pacquiao values what the fans want.
Giving in to his Twitter followers’ clamor, the Fighting Senator announced Thursday that his team is negotiating with the camp of British fighter Amir Khan for his next fight set April 23 in the United Arab Emirates.
“My team and I are in negotiations with Amir Khan for our next fight,” Pacquiao said on his Twitter feed. “Further announcement coming soon.”
The new development, which effectively quashed Australian Jeff Horn’s aspirations to tangle with the eight-division world champion, was corroborated by Pacquiao’s adviser, Michael Koncz, and longtime promoter, Bob Arum.
Koncz, who negotiated for Pacquiao’s next fight to be held in either Abu Dhabi or Dubai, was quoted as saying that both sides are closed to concluding negotiations and that he’s confident of getting the fight done.
In a sudden turnaround from his earlier pronouncement that Pacquiao fighting Khan in the United Kingdom is absurd, the 85-year-old Arum admitted that negotiations are indeed going on between the two parties.
As to the final outcome, the Arum sounded skeptical.
“Whether it will happen or not, I just don’t know because they have to come up with a large amount of money,” Arum told ESPN.com. “Manny seems to believe they will come up with the money. I have some reservations whether it will happen or not.”
Pacquiao-Khan reportedly involves a deal worth $38 million, which dwarfs the under $10 million being offered by Duco Events to stage Pacquiao-Horn in Australia.
“If it’s (UAE offer) real, we will assist putting on the event, but I am not holding my breath, and I’m not making plane reservations,” Arum said.
The 30-year-old Khan emerged out of the shadows after he topped the survey participated in by 44, 815 of Pacquiao’s Twitter followers as to who they want Pacquiao to fight next.
Khan, a former sparring of Pacquiao, garnered 48 percent of the votes, followed by Kell Brook (24 percent), Terence Crawford (21 percent) and Horn (7 percent).
Although Khan was knocked out by Canelo Alvarez in the sixth round in his foray to the middleweight division last May, the 30-year-old is still popular in UAE, owing to his Pakistani descent and Muslim faith.