Top Rank to Announce Manny Pacquiao’s Official Next Fight Not Later than Next Week?

Manny Pacquiao,38, despite his relative decline as one of  the greatest competitors in the boxing arena is still very able in putting his fans in thrill whenever his is on a fighting calendar. With the cancellation,  due to lack of funds,  of his supposed April welterweight showdown with Amir Khan in the United Arab Emirates, Bob Arum of Top Rank Promotions who directs Pacquiao's fights, made an apparently revised offer to Pacquiao to fight the undefeated Jeff Horn of Australia.

Prior to Amir Khan entering the picture, in which the Top Rank boss had nothing to do at all, Bob Arum had already offered the 29-year-old Jeff Horn to Manny Pacquiao. Seemingly unhappy with the purse on the table, the Filipino fighting senator refused to sign Arum's first batch of contract papers. In regards to the revised one, Manny Pacquiao and his long-time adviser Michael Koncz have appeared to be having difficulty making up their minds, putting Bob Arum and Top Rank Promotions - and the fans in anxious wait.

Now in an ultimatum - given by Arum - expected to expire today, the decision coming from Manny Pacquiao and his camp through Top Rank is expected to come out very soon, probably not later than next week. The decision is whether Pacquiao is going to fight and defend his WBO welterweight title against Jeff Horn in Brisbane, Australia in July.  Jeff Horn (16-0, 11 KOs) is relatively unknown in the global stage but in a fight to be held Down Under involving him - and Manny Pacquiao (59-6, 38 KOs), a global fight icon, a boom in local fight market is anticipated.

Meanwhile, Bob Arum is adamant on pitting Manny Pacquiao against the former teacher, most probably because he wants to re-ignite a booming and long-term boxing market in Australia.  The 85-year-old but tireless promoter of 5 decades is nonetheless has future plans to pair Pacquiao with fast- rising American light welterweight Terence Crawford - and Amir Khan himself. A recent rumour mill has it though that Pacquiao, for his immediate post-Horn fight assuming he accept the Horn challenge, might have to travel to South Africa to fight country's own Chris van Heerden.  Then again, who knows readily Arum is probably plotting to stage Pacquiao-Crawford or Pacquiao-Khan in Australia or South Africa - once the market is established in those countries - before the Filipino fight legend finally exits the ring for good.