UAE proposed as a possible stage for future Pacquiao bout

The agent of Manny Pacquiao said he has received a proposal to stage a fight involving the Filipino boxer in the UAE.
Pacquiao's next bout is scheduled in May, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, against Shane Mosley. But that fight could be his last in North America for a while.
"Manny will do what Muhammad Ali, Tyson and other extremely popular champs did and go fight in other countries and on other continents," Michael Koncz said. "We have great interest and proposals from many other countries including the United Arab Emirates, where there are so many Filipino guest workers. We've also had a bid which came from the Nigerian government for a fight over there.
"Manny loves fighting in Vegas, he loves how he's treated at the MGM Grand but this May fight might be the last we see of Las Vegas for a while."
However, boxing fans and the large Filipino community in the UAE will be advised not to raise their hopes. Abu Dhabi was mooted as possible venue for Pacquiao's fight against Antonio Margarito last month.
Koncz and Todd DuBoef and Bob Arum of Top Rank said they met a lawyer and a spokesperson for the royal family with a proposal. But the bout, which Pacquiao won in a unanimous decision, was eventually staged in Dallas.
Koncz has also not given up hope of staging the much-anticipated fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Mayweather's demands for Olympic-style drug testing in the build-up to any proposed bout, as well as an equitable split of the earnings - projected to be worth in excess of US$40 million (Dh146.9m) - have so far prevented the fight being held. Also, eight criminal charges against Mayweather stemming from a domestic violence case in Las Vegas may present another hurdle to a Pacquiao-Mayweather meeting.
"Will he and Manny ever fight? I think so," Koncz said. "But I think Floyd's undefeated record is so precious to him that he wants to wait until such time as he believes that Manny has aged or his talent is just slipping or something like this. Floyd may not be able to mentally handle the idea of not being unbeaten."