MANILA, Philippines – Top Rank chief executive Bob Arum has no plans of rushing Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao back into the ring so soon, with the "Pacman" likely to fight again in June 2017.
Pacquiao (59-6-2) last saw action on November 5, when he defeated Jessie Vargas via unanimous decision to regain the WBO world welterweight belt.
Speaking to Boxing Scene, Arum revealed that it will take some time before Pacquiao returns to action.
"Manny's next fight could be as late as June," Arum said. "He's going to fight twice a year, so if he fights in June and fights in November, that's okay."
So far they have no particular opponent in mind, although unbeaten light-welterweight champion Terence Crawford is a popular candidate.
A rematch against Floyd Mayweather, to whom Pacquiao lost in May 2015, is also something that fans still ask about but it all depends on the whims of the American boxer.
"I'm not holding my breath," Arum said of Mayweather, who retired in September 2015 with a perfect 49-0 record.
"But obviously, if Floyd decides to come back and wants to fight Manny, that's the fight we would work on," he added. "But there's no indication that that's the case."
Arum said in the same interview that he plans to visit Pacquiao in the Philippines in January to discuss possible opponents.
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