Bob Arum says Manny Pacquiao will not return in April

After stating that there had been proposals for a doubleheader featuring both Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez on the same card, Top Rank president Bob Arum is now saying that Pacquiao will not fight in April. His likely return, according to Arum, is now September.

Here is what Arum said, via The Ring's website:

"Manny was going to fight in April, but now, it doesn't look like he is going to fight in April. He won't fight until September. They wanted Manny very desperately in Macau, but Macau has one arena that's suitable, and that's in the Venetian.

"Unfortunately, it is booked for the month of April. Well you could say, 'Why not May?' Well, Manny's running into politics at that time. The elections are in May. Now he's
running unopposed.

"But his brother is running for congress, his wife is running for vice governor. So Manny is now presently building a dynasty. Todd duBoef went over to Macau to arrange for a Pacquiao fight in April, and, unfortunately, the Korean pop star had signed a contract for the building for most of April.

"Pacquiao says that it has to be in April, because then, there is the election campaign, and then we're looking at September."

So it looks like the whole big idea of showcasing Pacquiao and Marquez on the same show is dead. Not that there was a big belief it would ever happen, but now we do have confirmation. It is not out of the question, however, that Marquez could still fight in April against someone of the "stay-busy" variety.

It does appear most likely that Pacquiao will make his return in September or, at least, those are the plans. It's been well-documented that Floyd Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez could be squaring off that month as well. Who knows? By next week everything could change again, for everyone.