Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Manny Pacquiao’s ring return is imminent but there are still some issues yet to be resolved.
In an interview with the Las Vegas Review Journal, Top Rank chief Bob Arum said he is looking at inserting Pacquiao into the same card as the Terence Crawford and Jeff Horn title fight on April 21 possibly at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas which will be televised by ESPN.
The availability of the venue, however, is still questionable with Las Vegas’ NHL team the Golden Knights could be using the arena for the NHL playoffs, which is set to begin on April 11. The Knights are currently the top squad in their division.
READ: Pacquiao says in talks to fight Lomachenko
“Unless they can get some clearance from the league, we can’t do it in Las Vegas because none of the other arenas are available and we would have to do it somewhere else,” Arum said.
If there won’t be any particular deal or agreement to settle the impending conflict made, the bout could staged at Madison Square Garden in New York on April 14.
Apart from the location, Arum is still in search for the Filipino champion’s next opponent.
Pacquiao (59-7-2, 38 KOs) hasn’t fought since July last year when he suffered a controversial upset to Jeff Horn in Brisbane, Australia.
“We’re working on an opponent. Don’t want to be too premature about that, but we’re working on it as we speak. Pacquiao seems like he wants to come back, so we’re trying to get that finalized,” he said.
Pacquiao, though, told Agence France-Presse that his camp is in talks to set up a fight with world champion Vasyl Lomachenko, but they are still negotiating on the weight.
As far as who gets to be in the main event, Arum said ESPN would be the one to deal with it.
“ESPN has a way to solve [the main event issue], so it will be very interesting when we announce it.”