Aide says Pacquiao will fight in November but opponent undecided

Pacquiao to fight in November

MANILA, Philippines — Boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, who is awaiting formal proclamation as a newly elected congressman in the Philippines, will enter the ring again in November, his aide told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Michael Koncz, Pacquiao’s chief financial adviser, said that no opponent has been selected yet, amid speculation it could be Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Antonio Margarito.

He said that two dates — Nov. 6 and Nov. 13 — have been set aside for the fight at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys are on the road on Nov. 7 and Nov. 14.

“There is no named opponent yet, but that is certainly when we will fight,” Koncz said.

He said no negotiations are taking place with any of the potential rivals of Pacquiao, who is headed for a landslide win in Monday’s vote in his southern Sarangani province.

The boxing world is eager for a clash between Pacquiao and Mayweather, not only the world’s two top welterweights but widely regarded as the two contenders for the unofficial title of pound-for-pound champion.

A planned bout fell through in March when the Filipino champion refused blood testing conditions set by the Mayweather camp.

“If Mayweather wants to fight Manny, then no problem, provided he doesn’t try to bully us into terms and conditions,” Koncz said.

Pacquiao will fight under the rules of the commission of the U.S. state where the fight is held, he said.

Koncz said Pacquiao could also fight whoever wins the June 4 bout between Yuri Foreman and Miguel Cotto, whom Pacquiao defeated in November.

According to Koncz, the “television date and the venue are the two most important things” in setting up a fight, even before an opponent is identified, as was the case when Pacquiao fought Joshua Clottey at the Cowboys Stadium in March. Pacquiao won by an unanimous decision.

Pacquiao said the decision to return to the ring was up to his mother, Dionisia.

“So many fans want me to fight Mayweather so I asked my mother to allow me to fight one more time, and she said ‘OK,’ my mother agreed,” Pacquiao told ABS-CBN television Wednesday.

Koncz said Pacquiao, 31, was resting following a night of monitoring results from the congressional race in Sarangani province that pitted him against businessman Roy Chiongbian, 61.

“Pacquiao is leading by a big margin and it looks like a landslide,” said Michael Abas, regional director for the Commission on Elections.

“Pacman” was roundly defeated when he first ventured into politics in a run for the House of Representatives in 2007.

Campaigning last month, Pacquiao described his platform as “very simple, very basic” — giving small boats to fishermen and financial support to neighborhood stores so people can build livelihoods, plus offering free education and medicine and medical care to the poor.