Wednesday 12 May 2010

Philippine boxer Manny Pacquiao targets one last fight -- BBC Sport

BBC Sport

Five-weight world champion Manny Pacquiao says he will have one last fight after securing a seat in the Philippine Congress by a huge margin.

"I asked my mom, can I please fight one more time? She said 'okay'," Pacquiao told the ABS-CBN news portal.

Pacquiao's chief financial adviser Michael Konzc added that 6 November and 13 November had been set aside as potential dates for his next fight.

MANNY PACQUIAO "TEAM PACQUIAO" BULLSEYE T-SHIRTUnbeaten Floyd Mayweather or Mexican Antonio Margarito are likely opponents.

The Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas is set to hold the fight, though Konzc added that negotiations with potential opponents have yet to begin.

"There is no named opponent yet, but that is certainly when we will fight," said Konzc.

The boxing world is desperate for a clash between Pacquiao and 33-year-old American Mayweather, who are not only the two best welterweights, but widely regarded as the two contenders for the unofficial title of pound-for-pound champion.

A planned fight between the pair fell through in March when the Filipino champion refused Mayweather's demands for random blood and urine tests in the run up to the fight.

"If Mayweather wants to fight Manny, then no problem, provided he doesn't try to bully us into terms and conditions," said Konzc, who added that the 31-year-old would fight under the rules of the commission hosting the bout.

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

Pacquiao last fought in March when he defeated Ghanaian Joshua Clottey to retain his WBO welterweight belt for a 12th consecutive victory. Mayweather earned a unanimous points victory over American Shane Mosley earlier in May.

After that fight, Mayweather said: "If Manny takes the [blood] test, we can make the fight happen."

The Philippines star has lost just three times in 56 fights, drawing two and winning 38 of his 51 victories by knockout. Mayweather has won all of his 45 contests - 25 by knockout.

Koncz added that Pacquiao was now resting following a night of monitoring results from the congressional race in Sarangani province that pitted him against businessman Roy Chiongbian, 61, scion of a politically powerful and wealthy family.

'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 neighbourhood stores so people can build livelihoods, plus offering free education and medicine and medical care to the poor.

Source: news.bbc.co.uk

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