Pacquiao gets October 15 reserved as date for ring return

MANILA, Philippines – Top Rank Promotions chief Bob Arum is not giving up on a ring return of Manny Pacquiao as he made a reservation at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 15 for what could be the Filipino boxer’s comeback bout from a short-lived retirement.

The 84-year-old boxing promoter described it as a contingency plan on his part in case Pacquiao decides to lace up his gloves once more.

“We have the date. Just to protect ourselves,” Arum said in an interview with LA Times.

Pacquiao called it a career after outpointing Timothy Bradley Jr via unanimous decision in their rubber match last April.

After ending his illustrious 21-year prizefighting run, boxing’s only 8-division world champion pursued a full-time job in the political arena, winning a senate seat in the recently-concluded elections this past May.

Arum plans to personally visit Pacquiao on July 4 to talk about his future and see the scope of the Pinoy pugilist’s work as a senator.

“He doesn’t know. He has to see what committees he has, what kind of hearings he has,” he stated.

Arum pointed out that the possible October 15 fight will definitely not be a rematch against Floyd Mayweather Jr, who defeated Pacquiao in their May 2015 blockbuster confrontation.

“Definitely not Mayweather. We’ve been told he’s not ready to fight yet. Otherwise, of course, we’d consider that,” he asserted.

According to Arum, Terence Crawford and Adrien Broner are the leading candidates to dance with Pacquiao inside the squared-circle.

Crawford, a WBO super lightweight champion, is scheduled to lock horns with WBC 140-pound titleholder Viktor Postol on July 23.

Meanwhile, Broner most recently defeated Ashley Theophane via ninth-round stoppage in April. – Rappler.com