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Pacquiao now given two dates, Senchenko and Vargas in the frame


Nick Giongco
Picture by Stacey Verbeek
Manny Pacquiao’s much-awaited comeback fight in April is starting to take shape. Two possible opponents have been named and the fight could either take place April 13 or the week after.
As of the moment, former World Boxing Association welterweight champion Vyacheslav Senchenko of Ukraine and undefeated Jessie Vargas of the US are being eyed to serve as foes for Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez.
On Friday, Pacquiao adviser Mike Koncz revealed that they’re looking at staging the fight in Dubai, Singapore or Macau, marking the first time since July 2006 that the Filipino icon is strutting his stuff outside the US.
Mexican promoter Fernando Beltran is currently holding talks with Marquez in Mexico City, discussing his rosy future in the event he decides to resume fighting.
A Bulletin contact in Mexico said the 34-year-old Pacquiao is interested in taking the April 13 date, leaving Marquez with no choice but to go with April 20 and Pacquiao has the luxury of picking who among the 35-year-old Senchenko and 23-year-old Vargas will be his rival.
Armed with a 33-1-0 win-loss-draw record with 22 knockouts, the 5-10 Senchenko is best known for sending Ricky Hatton to retirement last year and he used to be trained by Freddie Roach.
Vargas, based in Las Vegas, has a 22-0 card with nine knockouts and one of the fast-rising contenders in the 147-lb division.
Top Rank chief Bob Arum said it would be great that Pacquiao and Marquez would engage in tuneup fights as they get ready for a fifth clash during the height of the Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 14.
Article courtesy of Nick Giongco of the Manila Bulletin
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