Ex-boxing world champion Manny Pacquiao (Philippines) has caused confusion with the announcement of another World Cup title fight. According to a statement by the 39-year-old welterweighted man, he is expected to arrive on 24 March. In Kuala Lumpur, Argentina’s WBA World Champion Lucas Matthysse will be back in the ring after a break of about a year.
However, Pacquiao’s long-time promoter Bob Arum cast doubt on this plan. Matthysse’s management did not confirm the fight either.
“Matthysse is one of those people Manny’s thinking about. There are others,”Arum told boxingscene. com. Meanwhile, Golden Boy Promotions, the company representing Matthysse, announced through its President Eric Gomez at ESPN that the negotiations were still in the early stages.
Previously, Pacquiao had stated in his statement that he himself would co-promote the fight against Matthysse, indicating a separation from Arum. The Pacquiao camp has not commented on Arum’s statements so far, but a spokesman had said that the contract with Arum expired last year after the lost World Cup fight against the Australian Jeff Horn.
On the second. July 2017 Pacquiao had lost his WBO belt to Horn and had not fought since then. In addition to his boxing career, he is also a member of the Philippine Senate.