Manny Pacquiao could finally fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. next year, Pacman said in a recent interview.
The two biggest boxers in the world at present have been close to fighting several times but it hasn’t happened yet.
Signs are building that indicate a bout happening next year, either in the spring or fall.
“It could happen next year,” Pacquiao confirmed to Phil Boxing. He said that sources told him that Showtime wants Mayweather to take the bout against him because it could be the network’s opportunity to recoup some its huge investment in Mayweather.
“But right now, I would like to focus on the [Chris] Algieri fight,” said Pacquiao, referring to the November bout.
Mayweather and his compatriots have emphasized that they’re open to a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, but first Pacman must defeat Algieri.
“At the end of the day, Pacquiao has a fight in front of him and he has to win, and if he wins then it becomes a reality, the possibility of [Mayweather vs Pacquiao] happening can become a reality,” Mayweather’s uncle Jeff Mayweather recently told On the Ropes Boxing.
“But, other than that, it won’t happen.”
Asked about the frontrunner for Mayweather’s next opponent, he said that it’s really down to Pacquiao or Khan.
“To be honest, I can’t really say who it is because I’m not one hundred percent sure. If they do it by names — which Floyd normally does — it may actually help the pay–per-view revenue, it’s gonna possibly be Khan or maybe Pacquiao next for Floyd, because there’s no other options out there in the weight class that make any sense,” he said.
