According to a WBN report, a source with knowledge on the situation has confirmed that Manny Pacquiao has officially signed a deal with powerful manager/advisor Al Haymon. The source says that Pacquiao — who was a free agent despite working with Top Rank for the Stateside distribution of his last fight — will likely face Adrien Broner at the top of 2019 before going on to rematch Floyd Mayweather. Should Pacquiao rumble with Broner, it’s expected that the fight will take place in the U.S. where Pacquiao hasn’t fought since facing Jessie Vargas a couple of years ago. WBN’s source suggests that will allow Pacquiao an opportunity to showcase some of the Filipino fighters signed to his MP Promotions outfit. Pacquiao (60-7-2, 39 KOs) is most recently coming off a stoppage win over Lucas Matthysse in July, a full year after he lost his welterweight title to Jeff Horn in 2017. That stoppage win was Pacquiao’s first since he fought Miguel Cotto back in 2009.<doc-sep>Tim Bradley has given his expert opinion on how both big fights for Manny Pacquiao can go next year. Bradley knows both guys very well, particularly Pacquiao having fought him multiple times. These days ‘Desert Storm’ always offers interesting insight and analysis from his punditry roles these days in the sport and is probably one of the better US boxing pundits out there at the moment. Speaking to Fight Hype Bradley said: “That’s crazy news (Pacquiao vs Broner). I think it’s a good fight, you know with Broner, if he shows up I think he can give Pac a good fight. Pac is always electrifying – we saw his last fight (Lucas Matthysse).” He added on a possible Mayweather vs Pacquiao 2 fight: “No absolutely not (do I think Manny can bear Floyd in a rematch). Floyd is the master of distance and he’s always said all the time you’ve got to be set all the time to beat a guy like Manny Pacquiao. Set. You got to be ready to punch. That dude (Pacquiao) burns you if you’re not. He’ll burn you man. He’ll have you sit there and waiting on a punch. Floyd is a master at that (though). He can stay relaxed. I don’t think so (that Manny can beat Floyd in a rematch). I honestly don’t. Floyd is getting a little older but Manny is still the smaller guy and Floyd is the guy with the longer reach and can sit on the outside and just tame him, tame him – keep him at that distance. Every time he leans forward Floyd is going to just step back, you know, land that right hand and check hook.” The fight has yet to be confirmed officially as of yet, as has Broner vs Pacquiao. But, it is widely thought in boxing that the deal for the fight with Al Haymon has now been done at this point. Expect an announcement once they have the venue and date for the first of the two bouts in the coming weeks. Pacquiao vs Broner is likely to be in January. Share this: Twitter Facebook<doc-sep>It is widely considered that Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao has now linked up with powerful boxing manager and adviser Al Haymon ahead of potential fights against Floyd Mayweather and Adrien Broner next year. Pacquiao is coming off the back of an impressive win last time out and his first stoppage win in over nine years against Lucas Matthysse. It is fair to say the win has firmly put him back in the picture for some big fights before the end of his career. Although he was linked with possible bouts against Kell Brook and Amir Khan from the UK, more than likely, Adrien Broner and then Floyd Mayweather in 2019 will be what closes the legendary Pacquiao career. Jeff Mayweather, uncle of Floyd Mayweather got the opinions of people at the Mayweather Boxing Gym today on who he should take on: (Hat tip Mayweather Boxing YouTube channel): ﻿ Now that Pacquiao is with Haymon there are a whole host of options for him at welterweight if he wants to fight on. Haymon essentially advises the majority of the top 147lbs fighters in the world. Outside of WBO champion Terence Crawford of course. From a purely financial point of view the two main fights out there for Pacquiao would surely be Broner and Mayweather in the new year. Those – plus a possible Amir Khan fight. Share this: Twitter Facebook<doc-sep>
Former eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao, who has expressed interest in a pay-per-view rematch with retired Floyd Mayweather, appears to have taken a big step in the direction of doing so this week. According to a report Thursday on BoxingScene, Pacquiao (60-7-2) has signed with manager Al Haymon, the founder of Premier Boxing Champions and longtime Mayweather adviser who owns PBC broadcasting deals with Showtime and Fox. Pacquiao, who turns 40 in December, cut ties with longtime promoter Top Rank following his July knockout of secondary WBA welterweight titleholder Lucas Matthysse in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Mayweather (50-0) joined Pacquiao in making headlines on Sept. 15 when the two met publicly during a music festival in Tokyo and began to hype the idea of rematch to their record-setting 2015 bout that was more than five years in the making. Mayweather defeated Pacquiao by unanimous decision in a blockbuster that was panned for its lack of entertainment after producing 4.6 million pay-per-view buys. The 41-year-old Mayweather, who hasn't fought since defeating former UFC champion Conor McGregor in August 2017, recently said he was considering a December tune-up bout in Tokyo before looking to make the Pacquiao fight early in 2019. Despite the combined age of the two boxers who ruled the sport's PPV landscape for nearly a decade, the fight is still expected to do big business. In addition to the Mayweather fight, aligning with Haymon potentially opens the doors to a gluttony of big names and top talent under the PBC banner at welterweight, including Errol Spence Jr., Shawn Porter, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, Adrien Broner, Andre Berto and many more. Although Pacquiao has noticeably slowed down in recent years from his explosive prime when he effortlessly rose in weight and carried his power and explosion with him, he did snap a nine-year streak without a knockout against Matthysse. Pacquiao cut ties with longtime Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach earlier this year and according to the BoxingScene report has just recently done the same with business manager Michael Koncz.