As BoxingScene.com reported last week, former world champions Manny Pacquiao and Adrien Broner will come together on Monday in New York to announce the details of their upcoming bout, which is taking place on January 19 at the MGM Grand at Las Vegas.
Pacquaio owns the World Boxing Association's "regular" welterweight crown, which is a step below WBA 'super champion' Keith Thurman.
Pacquiao captured the belt after stopping Lucas Matthysse in July at Kuala Lumpur -- his first knockout win since 2009.
The southpaw, 60-7 with two draws and 39 knockouts in a career that began in 1995, turns 40 next month while Broner is 33-3 with one drawn and 24 knockouts.
Last month, Pacquiao signed with adviser Al Haymon's Premier Boxing Champions group after being promoted by Top Rank's Bob Arum, Haymon's main rival, for the past 14 years.
The move ensures Pacquiao will have chances to fight the best in the welterweight division as Haymon's fighters include Thurman, 28-0 with 22 knockouts; World Boxing Council champion Shawn Porter 29-2 with one draw and 17 knockouts and International Boxing Federation champion Errol Spence Jr., 24-0 with 21 knockouts.
Haymon has also handles Floyd Mayweather, who beat Pacquiao by unanimous decision in 2015 for three world titles in a megafight showdown at Las Vegas with a Pacquiao rematch possible if he desires a ring return.
Before thoughts of any of those fighters, Pacquiao must first prepare for Broner, who drew with former world welterweight champion Jesse Vargas in April after losing last year to Mikey Garcia, the reigning WBC lightweight champion.
Pacquiao's head trainer, Buboy Fernandez, is getting everything ready for their training camp.
"I don’t see any problem since he’s fresh from a bout, which lasted for seven rounds. He’d remain in good condition for several months so it would be easy to bring back his fighting stamina,” Fernandez told The Manila Times.
"I can’t make any predictions except that we’re carefully studying Broner’s moves. This is a good fight. Both of them have a good chance provided they’re not too confident. We can’t do anything on Broner expressing his opinions [on the outcome] but as for me, it is best to finish the fight first. That’s the only way to find out who’s the better boxer."
