FINALLY, something more concrete about the forthcoming opponent of former eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao, who is aching to making a ring comeback after more than a year of inactivity.
Celebrity talent manager Arnold Vegafria, who is also Pacquiao’s business manager, posted on his Instagram late Tuesday a poster of the Pinoy ring icon and scrappy American Mikey Garcia in a famous tourist attraction in the Dubai, United Arab Emirates with these as the backdrop: “2021, UAE.”
“Soon,” added Vegafria, who apparently is in the Middle East financial center when he made the announcement and also recorded a brief video during a meeting at the Dusit Thani-Dubai titled “Dubai Fight” in what appeared to be a group of investors interested to finance the fight.
“Successful meeting…big event soon in Dubai,” was embedded in the video that he took himself with the personalities either flashing the No. 1 and thumbs-up signs.
A day after Vegafria broke the news, Pacquiao took to his Tweeter and Instagram accounts, implying he is ready and eager to get back into action and battle the untitled Garcia, 33, a former International Boxing Federation super lightweight and lightweight champ who has a record of 40 wins, 30 by knockout, and one loss.
“Twenty years ago all I wanted was a chance. A chance to prove myself on a big stage and make my dreams come true. Always prepare hard so that when the opportunity comes, you are ready,” he said.
Some boxing fans, however, were lukewarm to Vegafria’s announcement, a result of talks over the weekend that the Pacquiao camp was in negotiations for a crack at unbeaten IBF and World Boxing Council welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. in a pay-per-view fight with an audience in the US.
