Pacquiao to defend title against Australia's Horn in April
Manny Pacquiao will defend his WBO welterweight world title against Australian boxer Jeff Horn on April 22, Top Rank chairman Bob Arum told ESPN's Dan Rafael.
The fight will reportedly take place in Australia or the United Arab Emirates and could be the first in a series of international bouts for the 38-year-old Pacquiao. Top Rank specifically chose an April date to work around Pacquiao's senate duties in his native Philippines.
"We did world tours with Muhammad Ali and that's what I'm going to do with Manny," Arum said. "It's good for him to fight all over. He might be president of the Philippines someday and fighting around the world is good for that possibility."
The unheralded Horn, 28, holds a 16-0-1 record with 11 knockouts. In his last outing, he defeated Ali Funeka by sixth-round TKO. Horn currently holds minor titles with several organizations.
"I am excited about the prospect of facing a legend in Manny Pacquiao," Horn said. "I know a lot of people in America don't know too much about me, but after (April 22) they most certainly will."
Arum praised Horn's toughness and personality, explaining that he is the best option for Pacquiao at the moment. There was some thought of having Horn take a few high-profile fights in the United States to familiarize him with that audience, but Arum eventually decided that was unnecessary.
"There really wasn't any incentive (to go after a bigger name)," Arum said, "Horn was a good enough opponent and the only way we would have switched is if there was more money to be made with someone else, like if we went to the Middle East and fought Amir Khan. We spoke to Khan and he told us he wouldn't be available to fight Manny until November (because he is coming off an injury) and wanted a tuneup fight."
Arum added that they will continue to build Pacquaio's competition schedule around his senate obligations, and that a fight with IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook in England is in the planning stages for October.
Pacquiao ended a brief retirement last November when he successfully defeated Jessie Vargas by unanimous decision to win his third WBO welterweight title.