Manny mulls Vegas date with Broner

NEW YORK - Filipino boxing star Manny Pacquiao and former world welterweight champion Adrien Broner will announce details on Monday in New York about their upcoming bout, expected in January at Las Vegas.

Pacquiao owns the World Boxing Association's regular welterweight crown, a step below US unbeaten WBA 'super champion' Keith Thurman, after stopping Argentina's Lucas Matthysse in July at Kuala Lumpur - his first knockout win since 2009.

The southpaw, 60-7 with two drawn and 39 knockouts in a career that began in 1995, turns 40 next month while American Broner is 33-3-1(24 KO).

Broner and Pacquiao are set to talk on Monday at New York's Gotham Hall and Tuesday at the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills to promote the bout, which is expected to be staged Jan 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao, the only fighter to win world titles in eight different weight divisions, said last month he was 90 percent certain he would next fight Broner, a former four-division world champion.

Pacquiao, also a senator in the Philippines, lost his World Boxing Organization welterweight title to Australian Jeff Horn last year in Brisbane.

Last month, Pacquiao signed with adviser Al Haymon's Premier Boxing Champions group after being promoted by Top Rank's Bob Arum, Haymon's main rival, for the past 14 years.

The move ensures Pacquiao will have chances to fight the best in the welterweight division as Haymon's fighters include Americans Thurman, 28-0 (22 KO); WBC champion Shawn Porter 29-2-1 (17 KO) and IBF champion Errol Spence Jr., 24-0(21 KO).

Haymon has also handled past matters for retired unbeaten former champion Floyd Mayweather, who beat Pacquiao by unanimous decision in 2015 for three world titles in a megafight showdown at Las Vegas. A rematch could be in the offing if Mayweather desires a ring return.

Broner drew with former world welterweight champion Jesse Vargas in April after losing last year to undefeated American Mikey Garcia, the reigning WBC lightweight champion.

Meanwhile, 'super champion' Thurman returns from an injury layoff on Jan 26 to defend his crown in New York against American Josesito Lopez, while Porter and Spence defend their crowns in March on back-to-back weekends.

Spence faces Garcia on March 16, a week after Porter makes his first title defense against Cuban mandatory challenger Yordenis Ugas.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE