MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — Philippines boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is negotiating a July 2 fight with unbeaten Australian Jeff Horn, the Filipino world champion’s camp said Saturday.
“We are working out the details for the fight on July 2,” Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz told AFP by text message.
Arum had been originally quoted in international media saying the 38-year-old Filipino dubbed “Pac-Man” will get into the ring with Horn, 29, in April, possibly in Australia.
The Australian state of Queensland also offered to host the fight in Brisbane.
Pacquiao and British boxer Amir Khan had announced separately in February that they would fight on April 23, with a source from the Filipino’s camp saying the bout would be in the United Arab Emirates.
However, the Pacquiao-Khan fight bizarrely fell through, with Arum describing the reported $38 million UAE deal to the Los Angeles Times last month as “pie in the sky”.
Koncz did not disclose the proposed Pacquiao-Horn prize money or the venue, telling AFP the fighters’ purse was “nobody’s business”.
World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Pacquiao is in the twilight of a glittering career that won him unprecedented world titles in eight weight divisions.
He briefly retired last year as he won a seat in the Philippine senate, but made a successful comeback against Jessie Vargas in Las Vegas in November.
© Agence France-Presse
