Koncz sumablay, Pacquiao vs Khan hindi na tuloy.
Inihayag kahapon ni Top Rank big boss Bob Arum na hindi matutuloy ang depensa ni eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao kay two-time world titlist Amir Khan matapos mabigo ang tagapayo ng Pinoy boxer na si Canadian Michael Koncz na maiprisinta ang US$38 milyong premyo para sa laban sa Mayo 20 sa United Arab Emirates.
Sinisi ni Arum ang labis na pakikialam ni Koncz sa karera ni Pacquiao kaya nabolilyaso ang depensa nito kay WBO No. 2 contender Jeff Horn na itinakda sa Abril 23 sa Brisbane, Australia pero nakansela na rin.
May inialok na laban si Arum kay Pacquiao na ipinabigay kay Koncz matapos silang mag-usap sa Las Vegas, Nevada at inamin ng Canadian na umatras ang mga kausap niyang investor.
“Michael is on his way back to meet with Manny but it’s kaddish for the UAE deal. It’s dead,” sabi ni Arum kay boxing senior writer Dan Rafael ng ESPN. “I’m talking to him about another proposal for another fight, not Khan. Khan won’t be Manny’s next opponent.”
Hindi sinabi ni Arum kung sino ang susunod na makakalaban ni Pacquiao pero posible pa rin ang laban nito kay Khan sa Nobyembre na gaganapin sa United Kingdom.
“UAE would not happen until November, if it happens at all, but I doubt it will,” dagdag ni Arum na tinawanan ang transaksiyon ni Koncz. “When they contacted me, I told them it was pie in the sky, that this is crazy, it’s not going to happen. Manny wanted to roll the dice. He rolled the dice and it came up snake eyes. If something is too good to be true, it’s too good to be true.”
Hindi kinilala ni Arum ang makakaharap ni Pacquiao na posibleng maganap sa Hulyo.
“Koncz will meet with Manny, and if he accepts it, we’ll go ahead. If he doesn’t, there’s nothing we can do,” dagdag ni Arum. (Gilbert Espeñas)