Manny Pacquiao to announce final opponent on Friday
Manny Pacquiao plans to announce his final opponent on truTV Friday, his promoter Bob Arum says.
ESPN’s Dan Rafael tweeted about the plans for the Pacquiao announcement. Rafael seemed to think that the plans for the announcement hinted that Pacquiao would be facing Timothy Bradley for a third time:
Arum told me Manny’s foe will be announced Fri on truTV’s #boxing telecast. That seems to mean it’s Bradley (a boadcaster on tru cards).
— Dan Rafael (@danrafaelespn) December 7, 2015
However, Rafael later noted that Terence Crawford, who is also in the mix to fight Pacquiao, will be present for the announcement as well.
I’m told Crawford supposed to also be in PR for truTV card because he’ll be there on vacation. He or Bradley is leaving disappoionted.
— Dan Rafael (@danrafaelespn) December 7, 2015
Why is the announcement occurring on Friday on truTV? Arum’s Top Rank Boxing has a Friday night primetime boxing series he’s looking to promote, so this is a great opportunity to do so.
If Crawford and Bradley will both be there for the announcement, it’s unlikely one of them will not be part of it. Perhaps Arum will be announcing two fights — one involving Pacquiao and either Bradley or Crawford, and another involving the left out fighter against Amir Khan.
Either way, Arum certainly has our attention now as we definitely want to hear whom Pac-Man will be facing. And the fights on truTV won’t be bad, either — it’s Nonito Donaire and Felix Verdejo fighting.
For the record, Pacquiao, 36, has told Arum that with his focus shifted to politics, this will be his last fight. Manny sure could use the money from this last fight in case that lawsuit for his disappointing show with Floyd Mayweather goes through.
