On Wednesday, there was a report saying Manny Pacquiao might still fight this year. Not in Brisbane, not in the Philippines. Pacquiao, the report said, could end up clashing with Amir Khan in Dubai.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao’s rematch with Jeff Horn, who took away the Filipino superhero’s WBO welterweight crown last July, has been stalled.
Veteran promoter Bob Arum, calling Pacquiao-Horn 2 dormant, said they are planning to put up Horn in a title defense against the sensational Terence Crawford. That bout is being lined up for early next year.
There’s nothing certain about the two projected bouts.
There’s one sure thing concerning Philippine boxing, though. It involves Genesis Servania, former star of the ALA Stable, who now fights out of the Kashimi Gym in Japan.
The undefeated Servania will be fighting the popular Oscar Valdez of Tuczon, Arizona, for the WBO featherweight championship.
A report from boxingscene.com says “although undefeated after five years as a professional, Valdez (22-0, 19 KOs) expects yet another pitched battle against Servania (29-0, 12 KOs) of the Philippines.”
The fight takes place Saturday, Manila time, in Tucson.
ESPN will televise the world title bout in a tie-up with Top Rank Promotions.
Anyway, philboxing.com reports that Servania, ranked fourth by the WBO, will be making his US debut fresh from a second round TKO win over Ralph John last April. His most notable win is a 12th round TKO of former world champion Alexander Muñoz of Venezuela in 2014. Servania made his pro debut in February 2009 at age 17. He has held the WBC International Silver title. He won the WBO Intercontinental super bantamweight title with a 2nd round KO of Panama’s Rafael Concepcion.
Servania will be a huge underdog.
Asked about Servania, the sharp and powerful Valdez said: “I have seen him before, it’s a tough fight. Not a lot of people know him, but there was a point when nobody knew who Manny Pacquiao was.”