Boxing News: Pacquiao to announce opponent in Donaire's bout, Crawford and Bradley are options

Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is set to pick his next and final opponent on Friday, according to Top Rank Promotions boss Bob Arum.

Arum told ESPN’s Dan Rafael that Pacquiao will reveal his opponent during Top Rank’s truTV-televised card on Friday night (Saturday AEDT) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where former four-division world titlist Nonito Donaire and lightweight sensation Felix Verdejo will appear in separate bouts. “That’s what we are going to do,” Arum added.

Pacquiao has a three-man list of candidates that could be his final foe on Apr. 9. The list includes Amir Khan, who is promoted by Al Haymon, and Top Rank stablemates Timothy Bradley and Terence Crawford.

According to Rafael, Pacquiao may be opting to pick Bradley as his final opponent, with the latter set to appear at ringside to serve as commentator for truTV. Rafael noted that it would be disrespectful to Bradley if Top Rank would not announce him as Pacquiao’s foe during the former’s broadcast.

Bradley, the WBO welterweight champion, sent Brandon Rios into retirement last month after an impressive ninth-round stoppage win. His manager and wife Monica Bradley said there is nothing final in a possible trilogy with Pacquiao, but admitted they have been in good relationship with Top Rank president Todd duBoef.

“A lot can change in the next three days, but Todd and I have developed a good relationship,” Monica said, the LA Times reported. “I like the way we do business.”

However, Rafael also disclosed that Crawford will also come into the fight as the WBO junior welterweight is on vacation in Puerto Rico. Crawford, 2014 fighter of the year, has been reported as a strong candidate to be Pacquiao’s next opponent as Top Rank tries to make the former a boxing star to replace the retiring Filipino.

Chris Williams of Boxing News 24 believes Arum will announce Bradley as Pacquiao’s next opponent, despite Crawford’s presence in the boxing event. However, Williams sees Pacquiao-Bradley 3 as a fight that not too many boxing fans will want to pay to see on pay-per-view.

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