Manny Pacquiao's next fight was originally intended for archrival Juan Manuel Marquez according to promoter Bob Arum. The Top Rank Promotions Chief is also hopeful that the mega fight between "Pacman" and Floyd Mayweather will still happen.
Manny Pacquiao's next fight is slated against undefeated WBO light welterweight champion Chris Algieri. The bout will take place on November 22nd, at the Cotai Arena in Macau, China.
However, veteran boxing promoter Bob Arum revealed that Manny Pacquiao's next fight was supposedly scheduled for "Pacman's" old rival Juan Manuel Marquez. "El Dinamita" holds a knockout victory over the eight-division world champion, in a fourth bout in December that subsequently ended all controversies surrounding the match-up between both men.
"We were looking instead at Provodinkov and once Provodinkov got beat by Algieri," Arum explained in an interview with Thaboxingvoice. "We went to Algieri because he beat Provodnikov in the ring."
Arum, however, clarified that the possible fifth showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez may still happen in 2015.
"Marquez is going to fight somebody in Mexico this fall or winter and hopefully we can put him in with Pacquiao next year."
With still three months away, fans and people from the media already have Manny Pacquiao as the heavy favorite in the upcoming match-up. Odd-makers currently have Chris Algieri a +800 underdog as he faces the eight-division world champion and former pound-for-pound boxing king.
Meanwhile, Bob Arum also shed light on another issue, this time about the highly anticipated mega fight between Manny Pacquiao and current pound-for-pound boxing king Floyd Mayweather Jr. The said fight has been clamored to happen since 2009, when "Pacman" had dominated the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto.
However, different issues have derailed the fight from coming into fruition. But the 82-year old promoter believes that it will come true next year.
"I think that a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight is unfinished business for both of them, and I would think that next year would be the appropriate time for that fight to happen but again I don't know what Floyd is thinking," Arum added.
