Pacquiao not closing door on Khan, Dubai

Manny Pacquiao (left) and Amir Khan. AFP FILE PHOTOS

Manny Pacquiao is not discounting the possibility of staging his next fight in Dubai with newly opened Coca-Cola Arena a potential venue.

As for his possible opponent, Pacquiao is keeping his options open, but he is amenable to a showdown against Amir Khan, his former sparring partner.

“I’m planning for next year, trying to make it for next year with a possible opponent. Especially Amir Khan wants to fight me. We will talk again. It would be a good fight,” Pacquiao said in a story on Gulf News.

“We are negotiating for a fight in Dubai, and I am hoping that a fight can happen here in the future,” added Pacquiao, who is in Dubai for a Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League event.

The 32-year-old Khan has long been chasing Pacquiao for a fight for several years. The two camps had been in negotiations before but had never been able to strike a deal.

Pacquiao, who is still going strong at 40, has been nothing short of impressive in his past three fights. He last fought former undefeated champion Keith Thurman, whom he beat for the WBA (Super) welterweight champion two months ago.

Beyond Khan, Pacquiao may have to wait for the result of the Errol Spence-Shawn Porter battle that will take place on Saturday in Los Angeles.

Unbeaten Spence and rival world champion Porter, another former Pacquiao sparring partner, figure in a welterweight title unification bout with the winner looking at a possible 2020 showdown with the Filipibo ring icon. —REPORTS FROM MARK GIONGCO AND AFP