Manny Pacquiao. AFP FILE PHOTO
Now that Manny Pacquiao has signed to tangle with Jeff Horn, his adviser Michael Koncz is hoping for an impressive finish.
“Manny will train and do the best he can and hopefully we get the fight over with very quickly, we get out of there, we say ‘hi’ to the Australian fans and media and come home,” Koncz told AFP.
“Frankly and honestly, and nothing against Jeff Horn—I’ve never met the kid. I don’t know him personally—but the name recognition is I guess why the fans picked Amir Khan.”
In February, the Fighting Senator (59-6-2) asked fans on Twitter who he should fight next and 48 percent of the respondents voted for Khan.
Horn (16-0-1) was seven percent behind Briton Kell Brook (24 percent) while American Terence Crawford got 21 percent.
The lucrative deal, supposedly to be held in May, forged by Koncz with a group in the United Arab Emirates fell through, however.
Koncz cited as reason the Ramadan season being observed in the Middle East and other Muslim countries.
Thus, Team Pacquiao went back to Horn, the original choice of promoter Bob Arum for a bout in Australia in April.
According to Koncz, however, Khan remains prime choice for Pacquiao’s next fight this year, likely to be held in November.
Meanwhile, promoters refused to declare Pacquiao’s fight with Horn official on Thursday, saying “there is no event to be announced” until all contracts had been signed.
Pacquiao’s camp announced in Manila on Wednesday that Pacquiao would challenge undefeated Horn in Brisbane on July 2.
But the consortium backing the fight, including the Queensland state government, and promoters Duco Events and Top Rank Boxing were not ready to make a formal announcement.
“Until (the) process is completed, where all parties are contractually bound, there is no event to be announced,” Duco said in a statement.
“Media speculation has seen a lot of expectations created, and then dashed in months gone by with this event.”
The Filipino’s advisor also confirmed with AFP that the 38-year-old world champion would face Horn, 29, on July 2.
It is the second time the bout has been touted, after Pacquiao earlier this year decided to instead pursue a big money fight with British Khan in the United Arab Emirates until the deal fell through.
Despite Duco’s caution, Pacquiao’s camp said Thursday it was keen for a quick win over Horn to set up a higher-profile title fight with Khan.