Updated 12:48 PM EDT, Thu, Mar 28, 2024

Manny Pacquiao Next Fight Update: Opponent To Be Named Soon, Choices Down To Timothy Bradley, Ruslan Provodnikov

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The next opponent for Manny Pacquiao is expected to be announced soon after a meeting between Top Rank Promotions chief Bob Arum and Pacman's adviser Michael Koncz last week.

Koncz, who told RingTV that he met with the Arum on Saturday, said that nothing has been finalized because they are still carefully studying their options.

But while Koncz did not provide details about the meeting, Arum revealed that Pacquiao will return to the ring on April 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas against Timothy Bradley or Ruslan Provodnikov.

"It'll either be (Ruslan) Provodnikov or (Timothy) Bradley," Arum told the Las Vegas Review Journal. "We'll let Manny decide, we'll get a deal made with whoever he chooses and hopefully make the announcement in a week. What I can definitely tell you is Manny is fighting on April 12, and he's definitely fighting at the MGM."

Bradley is considered as the more logical choice between the two since he defeated the Filipino boxing icon in a controversial fashion in June 2012.

Provodnikov, on the other hand, put himself in the running as Pacquiao's next opponent after grabbing the WBO light welterweight title during his fight against Mike Alvarado last October.

The 29-year-old Russian previously said that he will not face Pacquiao, citing that they are both under Hall of Fame trainer Bob Arum. But Provodnikov, who is a former sparring partner of Pacquiao, announced last week that he could face the former pound-for-pound king on April 12.

"The chances are good that we will meet Pacquiao on April 12. As you know, I originally did not want to fight with the Filipino, because we both trained under the guidance of Freddie Roach. Then, while I was on vacation at a resort - I carefully thought about the situation. And I decided that if fate is giving me the opportunity, then I need to use it," Provodnikov said.

Provodnikov's manager Vadim Kornilov also said that the fight against Pacquiao is an option, but if Pacquiao decides to have a rematch with Bradley, the Beryozovo native will likely fight Juan Manuel Marquez.

"We would be happy if Pacquiao and Bradley agreed to fight. In this case, I think Marquez would agree to fight with Provodnikov. And I am sure that this fight would claim the title of Fight of the Year," Kornilov told BoxingScene.

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