Boxing News: Adrien Broner lashes out on Bob Arum after snub as Manny Pacquiao's next opponent
Adrien Broner has slammed Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum after the American businessman allegedly blocked the former's potential fight against Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.
Broner lashed out an expletive-laden message on Twitter directed at Arum. “The Problem” said that Arum will not let him fight Pacquiao because of a former dispute. Broner also said on Instagram that if a bout against Pacquiao would not happen, his other choice would be Ashley Theophane in March.
Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz originally contacted Broner on his own to discuss a potential fight with the former eight-division titlist. However, Arum does not look enticed enough to match Pacquiao against the 26-year-old WBA super lightweight champ, insisting that the Filipino’s choices for his next opponent would still be the “original group” he listed: Amir Khan, Terence Crawford and Timothy Bradley.
“We had a real nice meeting with Michael and he understands. So we're going with the original group and we'll see where it goes from there," Arum told Boxing Scene. "We should have an answer in the next day or so based on what Michael said and then we go to work.”
However, Chris Williams, writer for Boxing News 24, believes none of Pacquiao’s choice of opponents would generate a huge amount of money as well as interest from boxing fans around the world. Moreover, Pacquiao had already beaten Bradley, while Crawford does not seem too much of a star to be the Filipino fighter’s opponent in his farewell fight.
“It’s too bad Pacquiao will be stuck fighting Crawford, Bradley or Khan for his final fight for his career, because those are really terrible choices for Pacquiao,” Williams wrote. “None of the fights will likely make a lot of money.”
Pacquiao has not fought since his defeat from retired boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr in May. He was set to announce his foe earlier this month but failed to do so, leaving fans and pundits yearning for details on who might really be his next opponent.