Boxing News: Bob Arum says Manny Pacquiao will fight Amir Khan in Middle East

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is set to open talks with the Bolton fighter’s team in London this weekend for a possible Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan bout next year. Arum said the Filipino boxing icon will not duck the challenge of the British fighter, who has been repeatedly turned down by pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather.

According to Telegraph, Arum revealed that a possible Khan-Pacquiao card can be arranged early next year once the former eight-division titlist fully recovers from the shoulder injury he suffered in a fight against Mayweather. The American businessman also confessed that the potential fight between the two fighters will take place in the Middle East.

"There's two different groups in the Middle East (wanting to host the fight). I'd like to do Pacquiao against Amir Khan but they'll take Manny against any decent guy,” Arum said.

Arum believes Pacquiao will beat Khan in what the American promoter described as an “intriguing” match-up of boxing styles. Arum also said he would be happy to have lunch with Khan’s agent and discuss the deal for the possible boxing match. Pacquiao’s fight against Mayweather was a huge disappointment, but a clash with Khan would certainly give boxing fans something to be excited about.

Meanwhile, Arum confirmed that Pacquiao is recovering well from his shoulder injury. The 36-year-old boxer signaled that his shoulder is doing great after displaying full vertical extension on his arm during a break at the 2019 FIBA World Cup bidding event in Tokyo last week, reports the Philippine Star.

The Filipino champ claimed that he never saw a doctor and never did any rehab on his torn rotator cuff. Arum criticised Pacquiao last month for skipping an appointment with his doctor, calling the boxer “not very professional” in handling his recovery process.

“All I did was to swim in the sea as often as I could. The salt water healed my wound,” Pacquiao said.

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