Manny Pacquiao retired just a few months ago, but he’s already planning a return to the ring in Las Vegas this upcoming October. ESPN’s Dan Rafael spoke with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum Wednesday and reported this significant news.
At this point there is no set opponent for Pac-Man to fight, though Arum made it clear it won’t be Adrian Broner.
Additionally, there are logistical hurdles to overcome.
“Manny wants to come back. The problem is he can only come back if it doesn’t interfere with his senate duties,” Arum said. “We had penciled him in for Oct. 15 at Mandalay Bay, but we were informed that is no longer possible because he has to spend that week leading up to Oct. 15 formulating the budget in the senate and doing the votes.”
In order to facilitate a fight for Pacquiao, there are discussions about potentially moving events around at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. If that won’t work, then Arum told ESPN the Thomas & Mack Center might be another venue that could host the fight.
Logistics and Pacquiao’s senatorial schedule aside, the boxer has made it known that he “definitely wants to fight again,” per Arum.
The last time we saw this legend in the ring he took down Timothy Bradley in a unanimous decision. The time before that he was humbled by none other than Floyd Mayweather Jr.
That Pacquiao is coming back should surprise no one. He’s still a huge draw at the box office and looked awfully sharp in April taking down Bradley. It’s going to be interesting to see how his duties as a Philippine senator will affect him in the ring, if at all.