Floyd rematch closer as Pacquiao signs to face ‘top PBC fighters’

A POTENTIAL blockbuster rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather moved a step closer as the Filipino icon confirmed he has signed with Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC).

Eight-weight world champion Pacquiao said he would close out his storied career by facing “top PBC fighters” in announcing late Monday the tie-up with influential Mayweather adviser Haymon’s organization.

“My team will work closely with Al Haymon for the remainder of my career to deliver the most anticipated fights with the top PBC fighters,” Pacquiao said in a statement.

“Those are the fights the fans want to see and the ones I want to have to close out my career,” he added.

Pacquiao said last week that he was “90%” sure a bout with former four-division world champion Adrien Broner would happen in January, possibly in Las Vegas.

“Pacquiao’s first defense of the World Boxing Association welterweight world title will kick off the new partnership,” Haymon’s PBC said in a statement without giving further details.

“The new alliance will have team Pacquiao and Haymon work together to navigate the remainder of his illustrious career,” it added.

The deal could pave the way for a Pacquiaomayweather rematch of the 2015 megafight which generated a record 4.6 million pay-per-view buys earning $600 million and ended with the American winning on points.

Unbeaten Mayweather, who hasn’t fought since knocking out mixed martial artist Conor Mcgregor last year, said in September he would come out of retirement to face Pacquiao later this year.

The American, 41, has since hinted at taking a warmup fight first, talking on social media of a “huge boxing event” in Tokyo and then last week said he would be willing to accept a challenge to fight against Mcgregor’s MMA conqueror Khabib Nurmagomedov.

The deal with Haymon represents a new chapter for the 39-year-old Pacquiao, who has been promoted for the majority of his 20-year professional career by Bob Arum’s Top Rank organization.

“I wish him the best of luck, a tremendous warrior, and whatever he’s doing in the future, he deserves,” Arum said of Pacquiao on Fighthub TV in Las Vegas at the weekend.

Pacquiao pumped new life into his storied career in July when he delivered his first knockout in nine years against Lucas Matthysse of Argentina.

Ahead of the fight against big-punching Matthysse, Pacquiao said he considered himself the “underdog”, but he rolled back the years to register a 60th win and take the Argentine’s WBA welterweight belt./rappler.com