EIGHT-DIVISION champion Manny Pacquiao will fight former world titlist Mikey Garcia either in July or August in Dubai, the fighting senator’s financial and business manager Arnold Vegafria confirmed to BusinessMirror on Tuesday.
“It’s on 100 percent. Definitely in 2021, it’s Pacquiao versus Mikey Garcia in Dubai,” said Vegafria, adding the fighting senator was scheduled to sign the contract on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. “We will announce the fight details and final date soon.”
BusinessMirror learned that Pacquiao (62-7-2 win-loss-draw record with 39 knockouts) will be entitled to a $20 to $30 million guaranteed purse.
But Vegafria refused to confirm because of a confidentiality clause in the contract.
“It’s a lucrative amount but I don’t have the details,” he said.
Paradigm Sports Management (PSM) headed by President and CEO Audie Attar already offered the contract to Pacquiao early last month.
“This contract has been on the senator’s table for a long time. We have worked with Paradigm for this project since last year. We are just waiting for the final signing and the date,” added Vegafria, who also assured that the proposed fight between Pacquiao and Ultimate Fighting Championship superstar Conor McGregor is on the works.
Pacquiao, 42, started training two weeks ago in General Santos City under chief trainer Buboy Fernandez and assistant coach Nonoy Neri.
The 33-year-old Garcia (40-1 win-loss record with 30 knockouts) will be Pacquiao’s first fight since he booked a split decision victory over Keith Thurman in July 20, 2019, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The PSM contract was left unsigned because of Pacquiao’s hectic schedule as a senator, fanning speculations he weighed in on fighting World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Terence Crawford on June 5 also in the United Arab Emirates.
Pacquiao wasn’t available for comment.
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