Last week, the face of Top Rank, Bob Arum who spearheads the decision-making for ‘The Pacman’.
Arum confirmed that Pacquiao had personally scuppered his plans to see Pacquiao and Terence Crawford feature on the same card in an ESPN PPV production on April 14th.
Pacquiao, however, supposedly took offence at having a reduced status from not being the main event fighter.
Pacquiao turned down the offer of taking on Mike Alvarado in an undercard bout which was set to feature on the bill where Terence Crawford will challenge Jeff Horn for the WBO world welterweight title.
Arum suggested last week that Pacquiao had taken it upon himself to make his next fight. He suggested that his next fight could take place in either China or Malaysia.
“He has a group in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia looking to put up money for him to fight, a group in China;”Arum explained.
“If those people come up with the money, then we would do the fight and televise it on ESPN.”
“In other words do it on a Sunday morning, so that it went on Saturday night. That’s what’s really going on,” Arum stated.
The 8-weight divisional champion, Pacquiao has now confirmed that his next fight will take place in South East Asia in Malaysia.
Pacquiao’s next opponent has been somewhat of a hot topic for a while now.
Many have been linked and rumoured to be the one to get a high profile payday with the Filipino. Conor McGregor and Vasyl Lomachenko have been mooted as potential opponents.
Last week Pacquiao stated that the idea of a clash with the rugged Argentine, Lucas Matthysse who is fresh from capturing the WBA regular welterweight world title.
There is nothing confirmed yet as to who that opponent could perhaps be. However ‘The Pacman’ all but confirmed that his next fight will take place in Malaysia.
“Definitely, Malaysia is where we will fight.”
“If not May, this coming June, maybe the third week of June.”
“So the preparation will not conflict with my work,”
When pressed on the unusual choice of deciding to stage his next fight in Malaysia.
Pacquiao retorted, “because those in Malaysia appealed to have a fight there”.
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