Pacquiao had his first MRI scan to check on his shoulder injury right after his fight against Floyd Mayweather last May and the the results showed he had a torn shoulder rotator cuff that needed immediate surgery. He underwent the surgical process on May 5 and since then he has not visited Dr. ElAttrache again for the needed check up.
Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum has been urging Pacquiao to report to the Los Angeles clinic but the fighting congressman from the lone district of Sarangani opted to do self-rehab while keeping himself busy with charity work and politics as well.
It’s now a political season in the Philippines and Pacquiao has yet to decide if he will go for reelection as congressman or run for senator in the 2016 national elections. He has until mid-October to file his candidacy.
“He’s doing a million things right now,” Arum said. “But I’m not going to make a fight for him until he sees (Dr. Neal) ElAttrache. ElAttrache said he won’t clear him until there’s an MRI,” he added.
Pacquiao has reportedly informed Arum that he is having an MRI scan in the Philippines and the result will then be sent to the clinic of Dr. ElAttrache in Los Angeles.
Asked if Pacquiao is headed to the United Kingdom or the Middle East for his return fight, Arum said it may not happen there as planned.
“We’re looking at the first 3½ months of the year,” Arum said. “We played around with having Manny fight in the Mideast. But if you do a fight in the Mideast, you lose half the pay per view. And the people we were talking to couldn’t guarantee the live gate would make up for the loss on the pay per view, so it’s not going to happen there.”
Arum has bared the names of three boxers who are included in his shortlist of challengers for Manny Pacquiao’s return fight early next year.
Arum’s shortlist contains the names of Amir Khan, Kell Brook and Terence Crawford. Surprisingly the list didn’t include Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who has just tied Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 career record last weekend with a unanimous decision win against Andre Berto at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.
Over the weekend, Arum has added Lucas Matthysse and Juan Manuel Marquez to his shortlist of possible opponents.
Arum said Pacquiao wants his next fight to take place not later than the second week of April next year.
