Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan to fight on April 23
Multiple-division world champion Philippines' Manny Pacquiao and Britain's Olympic silver medallist Amir Khan have agreed to fight in a bout, which is scheduled to be held on April 23. Khan is likely to drop to welterweight to fight Pacquiao for the World Boxing Organisation title. Pacquiao won the WBO welterweight title last November against American Jessie Vargas in Las Vegas.
Multiple world champion Manny Pacquiao has agreed to fight Britain?s Olympic silver medallist Amir Khan on 23 April, with both boxers on Sunday confirming their intentions to appear in a ?super fight?. The 38-year-old Pacquiao had said four days ago that he and Khan?s management were in discussions for the fight, despite an earlier announcement the Filipino?s next bout would be against Jeff Horn. Pacquiao, however, had said that Horn was one of many possible opponents. The Australian welterweight?s dream fight was slated for the same date in April with Brisbane a likely host, but the school teacher?s hopes have now been extinguished.?Negotiations between team Pacquiao and team Khan have come to terms for the April 23 bout as this is what the fans wanted,? Pacquiao tweeted. The 30-year-old Khan, who won silver as a lightweight at the Athens Olympics, has not fought since last May when he moved up two weight classes to fight middleweight Canelo Álvarez.The much bigger Mexican proved too powerful and the Briton was knocked out in the sixth round and he is likely to drop back to welterweight to fight Pacquiao, who holds the World Boxing Organisation title at the weight. ?My team and I have agreed terms with Manny Pacquiao and his team for a super fight,? Khan said on his Twitter page. Pacquiao won the WBO welterweight title last November against American Jessie Vargas in Las Vegas with an unanimous decision.A Horn-Pacquiao fight would have been one of the biggest in Australian boxing history, with the Queensland government backing the push for Suncorp Stadium to host.Horn had released a video on Sunday, cut with excerpts from Donald Trump speeches, calling on Pacquiao to make a fight happen in Brisbane, where he claimed the money on offer was ?real? and already in place. No venue for Pacquiao?s clash with Khan, a former sparring partner, has been announced.