Pacquiao ‘finalizing the terms’ for Horn fight on July 2, says Koncz

MANILA, Philippines – After being given a deadline to agree to a fight with Jeff Horn or wait until November, Manny Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz says it “looks like” they’ll proceed with a July 2 fight against the unbeaten Australian.

“We are finalizing the terms,” Koncz tells Rappler in a text message on Thursday, March 30, the deadline Top Rank promoter Bob Arum had given Pacquiao’s side to agree to the fight. Koncz adds that the deal “should be finalized by end of week.”

Arum had told Manila Bulletin that the WBO welterweight titleholder Pacquiao (59-6-2, 38 knockouts) had to make a decision because the Australian financiers already had their money on the table. Arum says he’s looking at putting the fight at the Suncorp Stadium in Horn’s hometown of Brisbane, Australia but didn’t mention a financial figure for the fight.

Arum had said it looked unlikely that Pacquiao would be fighting in the United States again unless a big fight materialized due to his declining pay-per-view figures. He told the outlet that Pacquiao also had offers to fight in Qatar and South Africa later this year.

The organizers had already been left at the altar for a previous deal for Pacquiao to fight the unbeaten but unknown Horn (16-0-1, 11 KOs) on April 23 fell through when Pacquiao’s side went chasing a fight with Amir Khan in the United Arab Emirates. That fight also fell through when the $38 million being promised never materialized.

An email to Horn’s manager/trainer Glenn Rushton requesting comment was not immediately replied to.

Pacquiao, 38, hasn’t fought since last November when he defeated Jessie Vargas to win the 147-pound belt. The 29-year-old Horn last fought in December, stopping former title challenger Ali Funeka in 6 rounds. – Rappler.com