By Radio Rahim
Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum, who promotes Manny Pacquiao (57-6-2, 38KOs), is confident that Amir Khan's involvement with manager/adviser Al Haymon will not be an obstacle in finalizing a fight between the two boxers.
Pacquiao and Khan (31-3, 19KOs) are former sparring partners and shared the services of trainer Freddie Roach for several years. Khan left Roach in 2012 and hired Virgil Hunter.
Pacquiao has advised Arum that he wants to return to the ring no later than April of 2016. The Filipino star is recovering from a right shoulder injury that he suffered during his May 2nd decision loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Arum clears up a lot of the rumors and speculation, regarding Haymon. It's no industry secret that Arum and Haymon are far from friendly. They barely, if ever, come together to make any fights. Even the 'Fight of The Century' between Mayweather and Pacquiao was made with the assistance of CBS CEO Les Moonves - who acted as the middleman between Arum and Haymon.
So when Arum began naming Khan as a frontrunner to face Pacquiao, many wondered if the fight was even possible with Haymon involved.
Just a few months ago, Arum's company filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Haymon. The legal papers claim the powerful adviser is attempting a monopoly with his Premier Boxing Champions series.
According to Arum, the fight is very possible with Khan being a Haymon fighter, and there is no condition being pushed that Khan would have leave Haymon in order to make the Pacquiao fight a reality.
"No, he doesn't have to leave Haymon. He can do what he wants with Haymon. According to the Khan people, they have every right to fight whomever they want. And if that's the case, whether they pay Haymon or not pay Haymon is their business. It has nothing to do with me," Arum told BoxingScene.com.
Arum also cleared up some misinformation, that he'll be dealing with Haymon to finalize the terms of the Pacquiao-Khan fight.
"No, that's not correct. I would work with the Khan people to make that fight," Arum said.
