Arum gives Pacquiao more time to study options

Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum called off plans to name the next opponent of Manny Pacquiao, who asked to be given some more time to study his options.

“Manny wants more time,” Arum told the Bulletin late last night from San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he is staging a big card headlined by Felix Verdejo and supported by Nonito Donaire.

Arum has penciled April 9 as Pacquiao’s comeback fight and that the MGM Grand in Las Vegas as venue but the Filipino star hasn’t made a decision yet, according to his Canadian adviser Mike Koncz.

Arum, who turned 84 last Tuesday, said he can delay the announcement until the end of the month.

Moments after Arum bared that the proposed announcement on live TV has been called off, Koncz was on the line, saying the 36-year-old fighting congressman hasn’t made his choice.

On the table are American punchers Tim Bradley and Terence Crawford and British Amir Khan although Bradley has been mentioned as the leading candidate.

Another name has been thrown into the mix.

World super-lightweight titleholder Adrien Broner has also been eyed as a foe by Koncz, who nonetheless made sure Pacquiao will make his decision before the end of the year.

“Yeah, it will be within the month,” said Koncz, who is in General Santos City with Pacquiao.

Arum believes Pacquiao and Koncz are being approached by certain groups offering to bring the fight elsewhere for a huge amount of money.

“But that’s baloney,” said Arum, who had planned to make the announcement during the telecast of his Puerto Rico promotion.

Still, Koncz maintains that everything is fine over at Top Rank and Team Pacquiao.

“It’s just that Manny hasn’t made a decision,” added Koncz.

Pacquiao’s last fight was a decision loss to Floyd Mayweather last May that generated more than $600 million in revenue.

After the fight, Pacquiao underwent an operation in Los Angeles to repair a torn rotator cuff.