MANILA, Philippines – The promoter of Australian prospect Jeff Horn isn’t closing his door at Manny Pacquiao despite the Filipino icon’s keenness to fight in the United Arab Emirates instead of Australia.
Dean Lonergan, head of Duco Events, which represents Horn, said that compared to the supposed $38 million offer for Pacquiao to fight Amir Khan in the UAE, their deal is real.
“Manny seems to be very concerned about facing Jeff Horn in front of 55,000 people at Suncorp Stadium,” Lonergan recently told the Courier Mail.
Lonergan had been in touch with Top Rank Inc. boss Bob Arum in a bid to have Pacquiao defend his WBO welterweight title against Horn in Brisbane, Australia.
But Pacquiao seems bent on seeing action in the UAE instead, most likely in Dubai, leading Arum to declare the other day that the Australian deal will no longer push through.
Pacquiao is reportedly being offered by Lonergan’s team around $5 million to fight Horn. The fighting senator, however, has already looked at a different direction, announcing on Wednesday that he's in negotiations with Khan.
Unlike the Dubai offer, Lonergan said they have shown the money.
"In all likelihood he [Pacquiao] is chasing rainbows with the [$38 million] offer," the promoter continued.
Even Arum himself is skeptical of the $38 million purse being dangled at Pacquiao by the parties in the UAE.
Lonergan, for his part, added that Pacquiao is welcome to fight Horn should he change his mind.
"We have a very substantial offer for Manny to fight Jeff Horn in Brisbane on April 23. It is real money and it remains on the table. We still hope to see him fighting in Brisbane," he said.