Michael Koncz, Manny Pacquiao’s longtime adviser. Photo by Mark Giongco
There’s a likelihood that July 15 isn’t the first and last time Manny Pacquiao will fight in Malaysia.
Michael Koncz, Pacquiao’s longtime adviser, bared there’s a possibility of Manny Pacquiao fighting again in Malaysia but it will depend on the turnout of the Filipino boxing icon’s fight against Argentine champion Lucas Matthysse which will be staged at Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur.
“The offer that Manny got in Malaysia is tremendous and our goal is now is to maximize the returns so the investor’s happy and we go back there in the fall,” Koncz said. “We have to show that we know what we’re doing and we can give them a return then, we’ll have another one.”
The Pacquiao and Matthysse fight is the biggest boxing match to be held in Malaysia since Muhammad Ali beat Joe Bugner in 1975.
Ever the showman, Pacquiao remains one of boxing’s biggest draws despite being at the tailend of his illustrious career and with an aggressive fighter like Matthysse on the opposing corner, Koncz believes the bout will be a big hit.
“I like this fight because it’s a challenge. it has tremendous opportunity to be a crowd-pleasing explosive fight,” he said.
“Definitely, [this fight will generate] more money than the last three to four fights [against] Bradley, Vargas, Horn.”
Koncz said the target for Pacquiao’s next fight is in November with the hard-hitting Ukranian Vasyl Lomachenko as the likely opponent.