Pacquiao foe known soon

by Nick Giongco

Now that all the major welterweights have taken care of business, the camp of Manny Pacquiao will begin dotting the Is and crossing the Ts to determine who among Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia will be the Filipino star’s dance partner on July 13.

Sean Gibbons, the right-hand man of Pacquiao, and the guy who will discuss the matter with Al Haymon of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC), is due to set everything in motion.

“Will get a few things done this week,” said Gibbons, who accompanied Pacquiao in Japan the past five days where they attended a major MMA event at the Yokohama Arena.

Like Pacquiao, Garcia and Thurman fight under Haymon’s PBC, making it easy to get a deal in place since they all fight under one roof.

The July date is what the 40-year-old Pacquiao wants since the Senate will be in recess, allowing him to concentrate fully on training.

Last January, Pacquiao easily defeated Adrien Broner in Las Vegas in the first defense of the regular World Boxing Association (WBA) 147-lb crown.

Thurman, the WBA ‘super’ champion, saw action the week after Pacquiao and beat Josesito Lopez.

Meanwhile, Garcia disposed of Adrian Granados over the weekend and made it known that he wants to land a Pacquiao fight but nonetheless expressed doubts that it would happen.

Garcia said he might have “scared away” Pacquiao following his dominating showing.