Manny Pacquiao (Photo : Reuters)
Eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs) is reportedly ready to move on from wanting a rematch with retired pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. (49-0, 26 KOs) and is okay to fight whoever his promoters would place in front of him in the ring next year.
"I'm OK. Whether there is a second (bout with Mayweather), it's not a problem," the Filipino congressman said, as per The Guardian. "I heard he has retired, so it doesn't matter."
When asked on who he would like to fight instead, Pacquiao answered that he is ready to fight anyone "because I do not choose my opponents."
The 36-year-old southpaw is still recovering from a surgery that repaired his torn right rotator cuff, an injury he allegedly aggravated in the fourth round of his world championship fight with Mayweather last May 2nd.
Top Rank chief Bob Arum estimated the timeline of Pacquiao's rehab to be completed at around early February or late March next year and so he could fight again at around that time as well.
There are several names mentioned by Arum as Pac-Man's possible opponents, such as Terence Crawford, Kell Brook, and Amir Khan, but the latest of which was 32-year-old Argentinian Lucas Matthysse.
Arum said that he likes the matchup of Pacquiao and Matthysse but only if the latter could get past 5-foot-11 Viktor Postol on October 3rd, via Boxing News 24.
The highly-popular Khan is also one of the top options for Arum next year. However, the 83-year-old promoter's strained relationship with Al Haymon, Khan's adviser, could may negotiations for the fight quite difficult.
