Manny Pacquiao’s Promoter Reserves Venue In Hopes He’ll Return
After an April victory over rival Timothy Bradley, Manny Pacquiao announced his retirement. His promoter Bob Arum doesn’t think it’s the end of the road, however.
Even though Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KO) was elected to a seat in the Filipino Senate this May, Arum has reserved a venue this fall in the event that “Pac Man” has a change of heart. Arum even has a fighter in mind for Pacquiao.
“I’m not sure Manny is going to return, but I believe he wants to return,” Arum told Yahoo. “The question is, can he return and yet fulfill his duties as a senator in the Philippines? I don’t think even he knows that answer yet, because he’s just taken office. But I know for a fact, based on our conversations, that if he can, he is prepared to come back, and Broner is one guy we’re considering.”
Arum reserves the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada for October 15, in what he hopes will be Pacquiao’s return to pay-per-view.
The 26-year old Broner (32-2, 1 NC, 24 KO) is coming off of a ninth round TKO victory over Ashley Theophane that saw Broner lose the WBA Super Light Welterweight title on the scales. Pacquiao would easily be Broner’s biggest fight to date.
Many questioned Pacquiao’s ability to draw at age 37, as his trilogy bout drew “terrible” numbers, according to Arum – estimated between 400,000 and 500,000. This was coming off of Pacquiao’s mastadonic PPV showing against Floyd Mayweather where Pacquiao may have built ill-will with the fans for not disclosing a shoulder injury.
