Arum gives Pacman 3 weeks to decide

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao doesn’t have much time to think about and decide whether or not he wants to face Australian Jeff Horn in a rematch by the end of the year.

“Three weeks,” Bob Arum told The STAR yesterday.

Arum is hoping to sit down with the fighting senator very soon to discuss a lot of things, including perhaps the status of their relationship.

Pacquiao had announced that his July 2 fight with Horn in Brisbane was his last under a long and lucrative contract with Arum’s Top Rank Promotions.

But Arum, according to some reports, had mentioned that his promotional contract with the 38-year-old Pacquiao is good until 2018.

“I hope to arrange the rematch in November or December,” Arum said in a text message.

“Nothing is definite,” said a key member of Team Pacquiao.

Horn, now the WBO welterweight champion, is excited about the rematch, even announcing on social media last week the details of the fight.

The former schoolteacher from Brisbane said the rematch will take place at the 13,500-seat Brisbane Entertainment Center either in November or December.

Horn also said a new set of judges and referee will be tapped for the rematch, and that his WBO belt will be on the line.

“It’s official,” he said in an earlier post.

If the rematch happens, Horn will receive $2 million, a big jump from his reported guaranteed purse of $500,000 for the last one.

Pacquiao is in no hurry to talk about the rematch, which should give him the chance to avenge the bitter loss he suffered in the hands of Horn and the ring officials.

“We haven’t talked about it,” said the Pacquiao insider.

November or December is the best time to do the rematch because the Philippine Senate will be on break during that stretch.