Pacquiao – Khan fight premature


According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, a fight between Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan is not yet a reality.

“The point is that this is all so premature,” Top Rank’s Bob Arum told ESPN on Wednesday. “It’s all bulls—. But Manny is not going to fight in April. I don’t even know if May is feasible. I haven’t even talked to Manny. All it is right now is a discussion. It’s like somebody saying, ‘Hey, let’s build a new stadium for the Raiders in Las Vegas.’ You can say anything, but we’re a long way from it being done.”

Arum and Koncz met for dinner on Tuesday night in Las Vegas, where Arum lives, to talk about the possible deal with an unnamed investment group interesting in bringing Pacquiao to the UAE — at a site to be determined in Dubai or Abu Dhabi — to defend his welterweight world title against Khan, whose Muslim background makes him the group’s preferred opponent.

Koncz told Yahoo Sports that instead of April 23 the fight would instead take place on May 20 — meaning a rare Friday night pay-per-view in the U.S. time zones — in order to allow more time to promote the event. But Arum said that although he and Koncz talked about the new date it is not even close to being set in stone.

“We had a nice meeting, but there’s a lot of work to do before anything materializes,” Arum said. “A lot of work. As of now, other than the fact that Michael and I are on the same page as far as the fight not happening in April and that we hope to make something happen, who knows? I have absolutely nothing to report definitively and I am not f—— around.”

“After I met with Koncz I realized everything was up in the air as far as the money [in the UAE]. They punted to me and said, ‘Go find the money.’ So far it hasn’t surfaced,” Arum said, laughing. “Did I discuss a date in May with Michael? Yes. But I’ve got to talk to the people in the Middle East to see if this is real, to see if they can even go on that date in May, to see what venue would be available. Nobody has checked with them. I suggested the date to Koncz, but to say it’s done, again, it’s ridiculous.”




Pacquiao and Khan tweet that April 23 fight is on


Corresponding tweets by Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan stated that they will fight on April 23rd.




Pacquiao eyeing Khan showdown in UAE


According to Dan Rafae of espn.com, WBO Welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao has turned his attention towards a fight with Amir Khan in the United Arab Emirates , thus leaving previously mentioned potential opponent Jeff Horn at the alter.

“My team and I are in negotiations with Amir Khan for our next fight. Further announcement coming soon,” Pacquiao wrote on social media.

n fact, Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight-division world titleholder who outpointed Jessie Vargas to reclaim a welterweight world title in a dominant performance on Nov. 5 in Las Vegas, had previously said he had never heard of Horn (16-0-1, 11 KOs), a 2012 Australian Olympian. On Wednesday night, Bob Arum told ESPN that the deal in Australia had fallen apart because of Pacquiao’s desire to chase the money in the UAE.

“The Australian deal is not going to happen now, because Manny is trying to get a fight done in the United Arab Emirates and the people there favor him fighting Amir Khan,” Arum said.

“Whether it will happen or not, I just don’t know, because they have to come up with a large amount of money,” Arum said. “Manny seems to believe they will come up with the money. I have some reservations whether it will happen or not. If the money comes up, I will aid and abet the fight happening. But right now, I’m holding my powder. I don’t really know.”

May 20 has been the rumored date for a possible Pacquiao-Khan fight, but Arum said even if the bout happens, it won’t be then.

“May 20 is a non-starter. The senate in the Philippines [in which Pacquiao serves] is in session then,” Arum said. “Maybe in April or maybe June, but not May.”

“The Australian deal was a lot of money, but it paled in comparison to the … money they’re supposedly offering — $38 million,” Arum said derisively of the deal Pacquiao is pursuing. “I’m a practical man. The money in Australia wasn’t anywhere near $38 million. What do I know? We live in an alternative reality world. I don’t know what the story is. If the $38 million is real, it trumps the Australia deal. If it’s real, we will assist putting on the event, but I am not holding my breath and I’m not making plane reservations.

“We’ll see what we see. If the $38 million comes up, the fight will take place and we’ll all be happy. And if it doesn’t, there will be one guy who won’t be surprised.”