Philippine boxing hero Pacquiao and British fighter Amir Khan confirmed separately on Sunday that they would face each other on April 23 after weeks of conflicting reports
manila — Philippine boxing hero Manny Pacquiao and British fighter Amir Khan confirmed separately on Sunday that they would face each other on April 23 after weeks of conflicting reports.
Pacquiao tweeted: “Negotiations between team Pacquiao and team Khan have come to terms for the April 23 bout as this is what the fans wanted .# Pacquiao Khan ”.
Khan, 30, a few minutes later posted on his official Twitter feed: “My team and I have agreed terms with Manny Pacquiao and his team for a super fight #pacquiaokhan #April23rd”.
Neither of them gave a venue for the match but a source in Pacquiao’s office said the bout would be in the United Arab Emirates.
My team and I have agreed terms with Manny Pacquiao and his team for a super fight Amir Khan
Pacquiao’s American promoter, Bob Arum, has previously been quoted as saying on the ESPN that “Manny is trying to get a fight done in the United Arab Emirates, and the people there favour him fighting Amir Khan”.
Spokesmen for the World Boxing Organisation welterweight champion Pacquiao could not immediately be contacted for comment.
Pacquiao, 38, previously confirmed on Twitter that he was “in negotiations” to face Khan despite Arum’s own efforts to arrange a fight with Australian Jeff Horn in April. Pacquiao tweeted on February 11: “See you in UAE for my next fight. #TeamPacquiao”.
He also posted a poll on his official Twitter feed asking his 110,000-plus followers to choose either Horn, Khan, American Terence Crawford or Briton Kell Brook as his next opponent.
Khan had been leading the poll when it was taken down.
Pacquiao announced a brief retirement last year but made a successful comeback against Jessie Vargas in Las Vegas in November, saying he still felt like a youngster.
Pacquiao had said he was retiring to focus on his new role as Philippine senator, after winning elections last year on the back of his sporting fame. Pacquiao polls fans on Twitter to choose his next opponent — and it’s good news for Amir Khan.
Pacquiao, 38, was under pressure from fans to face two-time light-welterweight champion Khan after the Bolton fighter topped an online poll to choose his next opponent.
Khan’s team, which has been boosted by the return of Asif Vali, spoke to Arum last month when they were in Las Vegas for Carl Frampton’s defeat to Leo Santa Cruz.
Khan’s initial plan was to have a tune-up fight following hand surgery in the wake of his brutal KO by Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, but he would jump at the chance to fight Pacquiao, who was his training partner at Freddie Roach’s Wildcard gym in Los Angeles. — Agencies