by Ronnie Nathanielsz

Eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao is set to have an MRI to check on his right shoulder following surgery to repair a tear in his rotator cuff last May 7, after he injured it in his May 2 “Fight of the Century” against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told the New Standard/BoxingScene.com that the MRI results would be sent to Dr. Neal ElAttrache of the Kerland Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles. He undertook the surgery on Pacquiao and will make sure that “the shoulder is not bothering Manny anymore.”

Depending on the doctor’s assessment, Pacquiao is likely to return to the ring early next year and according to Arum will have two or three more fights before he hangs up his gloves.

Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz told us Pacquiao’s shoulder was “progressing very well” and he would “probably fight in late February or early March” and that he was looking at WBC welterweight Silver champion Amir Khan and IBF champion Kell Brook as possible opponents.

Koncz spoke about a Khan fight which they had discussed in a trip to London earlier this year but said Khan “doesn’t have a punch but he grabs and holds so I don’t like it very much.”

He said he had tried to make a fight with Danny Garcia even before Pacquiao fought Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios but that there was a problem with Garcia’s management” and now that he’s being handled by Al Haymon it can’t happen.