Pacquiao-Horn duel finally signed

 Manny Pacquiao AFP FILE PHOTO

Manny Pacquiao is likely to spend the second half of training camp in Gen. Santos City for his fight against Australian Jeff Horn on July 2 in Brisbane.

This came about because of Pacquiao’s legislative duties in the Senate, which will have a recess from May 31 to July 2.

As in his last few fights, the early part of training will be held in Manila at night so that Pacquiao can still attend the daytime senate sessions.

According to assistant trainer Nonoy Neri, the coaching staff will still follow a two-month training regimen for Pacquiao, with Buboy Fernandez supervising the early preparations.

“There will be no problem with regards to training as Manny is always in shape because he plays basketball regularly,” Neri told the Inquirer.

Chief trainer Freddie Roach will take over from Fernandez upon his arrival in Manila.

After weeks of studying promoter Bob Arum’s proposal, the Fighting Senator finally signed the contract to dangle his WBO welterweight crown against Horn at the 55,000 seater Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday.

“We signed the Jeff Horn contract this morning. Fight is July 2 in Brisbane, Australia,” Michael Koncz, Pacquiao’s adviser, told AFP by text message.

The unbeaten Horn (16-wins, 1-draw, 11 KOs) has already inked his part of the deal.

Though no exact figure was available, Pacquiao is expected to get at least $7.5 million, as Koncz had previously said that Team Pacquiao won’t settle for peanuts ($5 million initial offer) against Horn.

Arum told The Times’ Lance Pugmire that only the final details (of the bout) are being worked out.

“We’re slowly finishing up the deal to fight… people have agreed on essential points,” Arum said.
Arum explained that he chose Horn because he’s popular in Australia, while other probable opponents like unbeaten Terrence Crawford and four-division champion Adrien Broner aren’t even Australians.

“The last I knew, guys like Broner and Crawford weren’t Aussies,” Arum said. “Horn is an Aussie. There’s government behind it. They want the fight. They wanted Manny Pacquiao. Essentially, to buy the cheese, they wanted Pacquiao against this Aussie fighter.”

Arum added that the fight card, being bankrolled by the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council, could be a self-produced pay-per-view, similar to Pacquiao’s conquest of Jessie Vargas last November.