Arum prefers Broner, Crawford for Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines -  Australia’s Jeff Horn is back in the picture and may still end up fighting Manny Pacquiao sometime in June or July.

Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, said if the fighting senator from the Philippines chooses to fight in Australia, then the 29-year-old Horn will be the likely opponent.

“If the fight is going to be in Australia, then it probably will be Jeff Horn,” Arum told www.boxingscene.com yesterday.

“If it’s somewhere else, then it may be not (Horn),” Arum added.

Arum had mentioned the names of Adrien Broner and Terence Crawford as potential opponents for the 38-year-old Pacquiao, and at the same time had pushed the name of Amir Khan aside.

Pacquiao’s first fight of the year remains in the drawing board after being moved from its original date of April 23 to May 20 to June or July.

Arum had worked for Pacquiao vs Horn in Australia for April 23 but then talks collapsed when Pacquiao sought a fight with Khan in the UAE in May for $38 million.

Again, talks bogged down when the unnamed investment group from the UAE could not show the money, forcing Arum to set Pacquiao’s next fight to June or July.

Arum said he had a new proposal for Pacquiao to consider.

Pacquiao’s adviser, Mike Koncz, refused to comment but said he’s “working on things.”

Arum’s new proposal may include the fight against Horn in June or July, and then the one against either Broner or Crawford in November, most likely in the United States.

“Guys like that (Broner and Crawford), who probably have more credibility at this point, in this country, than Amir Khan has,” Arum told www.boxingscene.com.

“I think that when we come to November, I think that there are other candidates that would probably do a lot better, particularly on US pay-per-view, like either Adrien Broner or Terence Crawford,” Arum added.