Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum admitted he attempted to make happen a rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather this year but learned from the unbeaten US fighter’s chief handler that he wasn’t too keen on coming back.
“We tried to make that fight for this year, the rematch, but Al (Haymon) told me that Floyd was happy in his retirement and he had no intention to get back in the ring, at least this year…until Floyd tells Al Haymon that he wants to come back, we have no sense in talking about a Mayweather fight,” the 84-year-old Arum told fighthype yesterday.
With Mayweather out of the picture this year, Arum is training his sights elsewhere as he finalizes the details of Pacquiao’s ring return in late October or early November in Las Vegas.
Being eyed are Terence Crawford – if he wins against Viktor Postol on July 23, Jessie Vargas and Danny Garcia.
In May last year, Mayweather hammered out a 12-round unanimous decision over Pacquiao, who later revealed that he fought with an injured right shoulder.
The injury – a torn rotator cuff – has been repaired and it showed when Pacquiao easily beat Tim Bradley last April.
Arum is expected to make a formal announcement of Pacquiao’s comeback within the next two weeks.
Pacquiao clarified that in the event that he fights again, it won’t happen when the Senate is in session and that training camp will be held in the Philippines so he can still attend to his legislative duties.