Pacquiao could return to the ring as early as November or December this year if he can recover fast enough from his recent surgical operation in the U.S. early this month, stemming from the injury he suffered while training for his fight against Floyd Mayweather last May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Surgeon Neal ElAttrache, who performed the surgery, expects Pacquiao to fully recover from his injury in nine to 12 months. He said Pacquiao can resume training six months after surgery.
If Pacquiao can start training in late October, he will be ready for his second fight this year which could happen in mid December.
For sure Pacquiao won’t be facing Mayweather in a rematch within this year as the unbeaten American will be fighting on September 12 against a still unnamed opponent.
Mayweather’s September 12 fight will be the last of his $200 million six-fight contract with CBS/Showtime and his 49th professional fight since he turned pro in 1996. The earliest Pacquiao can face Mayweather in a rematch would be in May 2016.
If Pacquiao is allowed by his doctor to fight this year, it is almost certain he will face the winner of the Bradley- Vargas fight.
Like Pacquiao, Bradley and Vargas are stablemates at Bob Arum’s Top Rank Promotions and fight negotiations will not be a problem because they are all fighting under one promoter.
Bradley (Bradley (31-1-1, 12 KOs) has fought Pacquiao twice with the first fight ending in controversy as Bradley was reportedly gifted with a split decision win in what appeared as flawed scoring by the judges. Pacquiao won the second fight last year via a unanimous decision.
If Bradley wins over Vargas on June 27, he would be on his way to a possible trilogy with the Filipino boxing star before the end of the year.
Vargas (26-0, 9 KOs) has been rumored to be Pacquiao’s next opponent before the breakthrough in the Mayweather-Pacquiao negotiations early this year.
If Vargas remains unbeaten against Bradley, he could have another opportunity to face Pacquiao in December. Either way, Bradley or Vargas could serve as tune-up fight for Pacquiao in a possible Mayweather rematch in May next year.
Unofficial reports show the Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch early next year is good as done owing to the huge pay-per-view revenue that the first fight had generated.
“As of right now, we are somewhere over 4 and a half million (PPV). I think that when it’s all said and done, we should be at 5.2 million. And then also with the overseas and everything plus merchandise, we have a possibility of reaching $700 million,” Maytweather told DJ Whoo Kid.
It is almost unthinkable that Mayweather — despite his denial that he will give Pacquiao a rematch — will turn his back to another financial windfall that could still break the records established in the first fight.
