UAE OFFICIALS WOULD LOVE TO HAVE PACQUIAO FIGHT IN DUBAI
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 04 Nov 2015
United Arab Emirates sports officials have said they would love to have eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao fight in Dubai and are open to talks about the possibility of staging Manny Pacquiao?s last fight in Dubai.
Pacquiao, a hero both in the Philippines and to millions around the world, arrived at Dubai Airport on Monday night ahead of this weekend?s Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) games at Al Wasl Club, where he will play for his club side Mahindra Enforcers.
But Gulf News staff reporter Ashley Hammond says ?behind this week-long visit lurks the burning question as to the location of his last fight.?
Pacman?s rotator cuff injury in his right shoulder which required surgery five days after he aggravated the injury in his May 2 losing effort against Floyd Mayweather Jr has recovered well and is expected to return to the ring in either February or April before retiring ahead of the Philippine general election in May, where he is standing for senator.
Asked if his last fight ? a potential rematch with Mayweather ? could be staged in the emirate, Dubai Sports Council general secretary Saeed Hareb said: ?Definitely, we are looking for that, nothing?s official but if he wants to, definitely we will sit and discuss it.?
Rashid Al Kamali, the manager of sports events at Dubai Sports Council, was also at the airport with Saeed Hareb to welcome Pacquiao, and added: ?Dubai is the best place to have the fight due to the large Filipino expatriate population and his popularity here. Arab fans love him as well so that?s another bonus, so why not Dubai?
?I think the chances [of staging the fight in Dubai] are there, he?s very keen in having his fight in Dubai, but again it?s a very commercial aspect, all the areas have to be balanced and all partners have to agree on his presence in Dubai, otherwise it?s Las Vegas.?
When asked at the airport if he?d like to stage his last fight in the emirate, Pacquiao said: ?Of course, I?d love to have a fight here in Dubai.?
There are strong indications that WBC welterweight Silver champion Amir Khan is the front-runner to take on his former sparring partner and gym mate who trained under Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles before moving to trainer Virgil Hunter.
Khan himself said talks between his team and Top Rank promoter Bob Arum have been going well and he expects some form of announcement in the near future. Others in contention to face Pacquiao are Terence Crawford and Danny Garcia but its clear that Khan who has visited Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Qatar would be the most lucrative pay per view fight.
Pacquiao paid a courtesy call on the officials at the Philippine Consulate in Al Ghusais on Tuesday where he was greeted by a big crowd.
While in Dubai, Pacquiao will mingle with his legion of fans at the du S tore at Dubai Mall on Wednesday from 4:00 p.m. followed by a similar appearance at Go Sport at Mall of the Emirates after 6 p.m. on Thursday.
In another demonstration of his charitable side Pacquiao will reportedly walk and cycle around Yas Marina Circuit on Saturday to support Rahma, a new charitable service in the fight against cancer.
As a result boxing fans in Abu Dhabi won?t be deprived of a chance to see one of the greatest sports heroes of all-time.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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