Manny Pacquiao. Tristan Tamayo / INQUIRER.net file photo
Forget about Manny Pacquiao going to the United States for his return bout this year.
A confidante of the eight-division world champion said Pacquiao is looking at Kuala Lumpur instead, with either April 29 or May 5 as the preferred dates.
The opponent has yet to be named, although Pacquiao has earlier declared that he would like to fight World Boxing Association welterweight champion Lucas Matthyse on his comeback drive after losing his World Boxing Organization welterweight crown to Australian Jeff Horn in Brisbane last July 2.
READ: Pacquiao wants Matthysse; Arum picks Alvarado
Apparently, Paquiao dismissed the proposition that he fights former world champion Mike Alvarado in the undercard of the Horn-Terence Crawford tussle for the WBO 147-pound title on April 14 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao’s Senate media chief, Aquiles Zonio, said the “fighting senator” felt “insulted” by the decision of Bob Arum, Top Rank Promotions head honcho, to make his comeback fight a mere undercard.
Zonio also clarified that Pacquiao’s decision to turn down Alvarado as his next foe has nothing to do with a conflict in schedule involving his legislative duties since the Senate is on break from March 23 to May 1. /jpv
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