Manny Pacquiao's Next Fight: Adviser Michael Koncz Reveals Two of the Top 4 Contenders
Manny Pacquiao's next fight remains one of the subjects that boxing fans relentlessly like to discuss and talk about. As much as people are anticipating for Floyd Mayweather to reveal his next opponent, people are also eager to find out the fighter that the Filipino boxing icon will face on his next fight.
Hall of Famer promoter Bob Arum has reportedly reserved April 12 for Pacquiao's next fight, but the next opponent has not been officially decided yet. Arum said in an interview with Sports Illustrated that a rematch with Bradley is likely to happen. He said he is aware that Juan Manuel Marquez has no intentions of fighting Pacquiao for the fifth time, so he is not going to beg the Mexican boxer to do it. "What I would like to do is if Pacquiao fights Bradley, have Ruslan fight Marquez," said Arum. He also said that having Marquez fight Ruslan would serve as a punishment for the Mexican after refusing to fight Pacquiao.
Additionally, Pacquiao's Canadian adviser Michael Koncz has exclusively talked to a local Philippine newspaper and said that the eight-division world champion is inching closer toward making a decision within the next few days.
Koncz stated that it is his job to deliberate the best options in terms of compensation for Pacquiao. "I'll lay down the options then Manny makes the final decision on whom to fight," said Koncz. The Canadian financial adviser also stated that Pacquiao's next fight is entirely his call and not Arum's.
Koncz revealed that there are 4 fighters being considered for Pacquiao's next fight. He revealed the two candidates, Timothy Bradley and Ruslan Provodnikov, but refused to disclose the other two contenders.
If you are asking if Floyd Mayweather is one of the contenders, it is really hard to tell because Koncz declined to comment. "I can't speak for Floyd or Ellerbe," he said.
Is a rematch between Pacquiao and Bradley a good idea? Many people believed that Pacquiao was robbed in a bad decision after his fight against Bradley in 2012. What about Ruslan Provodnikov? There is still that chance that the Filipino boxing icon may end up facing his former sparring mate and current WBO junior welterweight champion.
The Filipino boxer is expected to fly to the U.S. as soon Pacquiao's next fight is set. Koncz said that Pacquiao isn't rushing to travel due to the fact his tax case remains an unfinished business. Nonetheless, Pacquiao's team is optimistic that the legal dilemma that he is currently battling will be settled soon.
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