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Pacquiao's big-money fight with Khan backfires

Boxing

By BBC | Mar 09, 2017

(FILES) This file photo taken on April 9, 2016 shows Manny Pacquiao (R) and Timothy Bradley Jr. facing off during their WBO international welterweight title bout at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao plans to come out of retirement to fight an as yet to be named opponent later this year, ESPN reported on July 12, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / John GURZINSKI

Britain’s Amir Khan will not fight WBO world welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao next month, the Filipino’s promoter, Bob Arum, said.

The two fighters had announced the “super fight” for 23 April on Twitter at the end of February, with the United Arab Emirates expected to be the venue.

But Aram said; “It’s kaddish for the UAE deal. It’s dead.

“I’m talking about another proposal for another fight, not Khan. Khan won’t be Manny’s next opponent.”

The April fight was originally arranged after Pacquiao’s followers on Twitter voted Khan as the opponent they would like to see the 38-year-old fight next.

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Khan, 30, who won silver as a lightweight at the 2004 Olympics, beat compatriot Kell Brook, Australia’s Jeff Horn and American Terence Crawford with 48% of the vote carried out by Pacquiao.

Arum also told the Los Angeles Times that the $38m (Sh3.8billion) offer for the bout had failed to materialise and that the duo could not face each other until the second half of 2017, under revised terms.

Arum said Pacquiao’s advisor Michael Koncz would negotiate a revised fight against an alternative opponent that could be staged in July.

Pacquiao, who has won 59 of his 67 bouts, claimed the WBO title with a unanimous points victory over American Jessie Vargas in Las Vegas last November.

Khan’s last fight in May 2016 saw him jump two weight divisions to 70kg, when he challenged Mexico’s Saul Alvarez for the WBC middleweight title, but was knocked out in the sixth round.