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MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao may be bent on retirement, but that isn’t stopping promoter Bob Arum from speculating about future fights.
Arum says he’d like to see the winner of Pacquiao’s upcoming third fight with Tim Bradley Jr face Jessie Vargas, the newly crowned WBO welterweight titleholder. Vargas, 26, of Las Vegas won the title Bradley vacated to face Pacquiao, knocking out previously unbeaten US Olympian Sadam Ali in 9 rounds this past weekend.
“It’s up to the winner of the fight but it’s definitely the fight I want to make, Vargas vs the winner of Pacquiao-Bradley,” Arum tells BoxingScene.
Arum has been cautious throughout the promotion for this fight about calling it Pacquiao’s last, as retirements rarely stick in boxing.
Arum also threw cold water on Terence Crawford, the unbeaten junior welterweight champion, facing the winner, saying he had other “other paths” for the 28-year-old.
The 26-year-old Vargas (27-1, 10 knockouts) scored his first knockout in 5 years, dropping Ali twice in the HBO-televised fight. Vargas’ only defeat came in June of last year, when he was outpointed by Bradley for the interim WBO title.
Vargas hurt Bradley with a left hook in the dying seconds of the twelfth round but failed to stop him before the bell rang. Vargas said after the Ali fight that he wants a rematch with Bradley, whether or not he beats Pacquiao.
“I only want one fight which I deserve to get, a rematch with Bradley. I don’t care if he beats Pacquiao or not, I want Bradley.” – Rappler.com
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