Manny Pacquiao pulls out of November rematch with Jeff Horn

Manny Pacquiao’s planned rematch against Jeff Horn in November is on hold.

The Filipino senator pulled out of his November rematch, saying a senatorial trip to China would interfere with his training camp.

The two were set to fight on Nov. 12 in a rematch of their July bout which Horn won by controversial decision. In recent days, Pacquiao was expressing reluctance about fighting in Australia again, which is Horn’s home country and where the first fight was held. Conspiracy theorists in Australia are speculating that the governmental trip was a convenient excuse for Pacquiao to back out.

Horn’s promoter Dean Lonergan told the Daily Telegraph that he still expects the two men to fight next year.

“Manny Pacquiao has decided that he will not be competing in a rematch with Jeff Horn in 2017. Pacquiao is committed to fighting again in 2018, and a rematch with Jeff Horn for the WBO world welterweight title,” Lonergan told The Telegraph.

In the meantime, Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum, who has a two-fight option with Horn, is expected to fill the November date with another boxer from his Top Rank stable, such as Terrence Crawford or Jessie Vargas.