Pacman wants to fight in Philippine Arena

MANILA, Philippines - Regardless of the opponent, Manny Pacquiao wants his next fight in the early months of 2016 staged at the Philippine Arena, a massive 55,000-seat venue just outside Manila.

Is it Pacquiao’s farewell fight? No one can really tell.

“I want it here,” the Filipino boxing icon told The STAR close to midnight Monday after he played basketball somewhere deep in Parañaque.

“Para madaming masaya (So more fans will be happy),” he said.

It may or may not be Pacquiao’s last fight but he had said before he wanted to do one more fight in the country before he retires from boxing.

The last time Pacquiao fought in the Philippines was on July 2, 2006 when he slugged it out with Mexico’s Oscar Larios for 12 rounds at the historic Araneta Coliseum.

Since then, he has fought overseas 18 times, 16 of them in the United States.

Now he wants to fight before his countrymen even if his promoter, Bob Arum, is looking at Las Vegas or Dubai as venue of his next fight.

Insiders said someone has offered Pacquiao a guaranteed purse of $25 million for him to fight in the Philippines, and that should be enough to seal the deal.

Pacquiao, who will turn 37 on Dec. 17, is planning to run for senator in the Philippine elections on May 9, 2016.

If he wins one of the 12 slots available, then he might just retire from boxing.

“The job of a senator is tough and demanding,” he said earlier this week in reaction to the latest SWS survey putting him in ninth spot in the senatorial race.

“I’m going to focus my time and energy on my work and responsibilities as senator,” said Pacquiao.

According to Arum, the eight-division champion may fight in February or April but not March because of the NCAA Finals in the United States.

Arum has a handful names for Pacquiao to choose from as his next foe although British star Amir Khan seems to enjoy the inside track.

The others being mentioned are Terence Crawford, Kell Brook, Lucas Mattysse, Danny Garcia and Juan Manuel Marquez.

Pacquiao will be the one to decide.

“Wala pa (Nothing yet),” he said inside the dressing room of the Village Sports Center inside BF Homes in Parañaque City, where Pacquiao used to live.

Earlier that night, Pacquiao had MRI on his right shoulder. He was happy with the results and described the medical procedure “successful.”

He underwent surgery four days after he faced Floyd Mayweather Jr. despite an injured rotator cuff on his right shoulder. It’s been over four months.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao is priming up to play for the Pacman-Powervit Agilas in the Asean Basketball League, which gets going Oct. 28, while keeping his post as player-coach of Mahindra in the PBA.

“Yes, he will play several games,” said Agilas coach Bien Orillo in yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s Malate.

Orillo, however, said Pacquiao will miss the Agilas’ game against the Saigon Heat on Oct. 29 in Davao and Thailand on Oct. 31 in Malaysia but will surely see action on Nov. 4 when they play Saigon again in Gen. Santos City.

“He (Pacquiao) will play on Nov. 4 in Gensan, that’s 90-percent sure,” said Orillo.

Joining Pacquiao in the Agilas squad are former PBA MVP Willie Miller and imports Jamal Warren of Panama and former University of the East import Charles Mammie of Sierra Leone while those vying for slots in the team are Jondan Salvador, Val Acuna, Leo Najorda, Carlo Sharma and Nico Elorde, a former Ateneo standout who was drafted by KIA but was recently dropped.

Ex-pro Zaldy Realubit was appointed coach.

Orilla said Pacquiao, also the player-coach of Mahindra, could only play in one league.

“If he’s playing for the Agilas, he will be put in the reserve list of Mahindra and vice versa,” said Orilla. – Joey Villar