WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao said he hoped to finally step in the ring with WBC/WBA champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. next year as he denied he was taking his upcoming opponent Chris Algieri lightly. Pacquiao (56-5-2) will defend his title against Algieri on November 22nd in Macau, China. Mayweather retained his title last month with a decision over Marcos Maidana. He plans to return on a date in May.
"Hopefully that fight will happen by next year," he told AFP in an interview. "I'm crossing my fingers that that fight will happen but right now my mind is already set to focus on my next fight with Algieri. I think the time to talk about that issue is after the fight."
Pacquiao, 35, also said he had a "couple of years" left before retiring.
"I'm not thinking yet about retirement. I will continue my boxing career, the journey will continue in my boxing career and we'll see what happens," he said.
