Manny Pacquiao set to fight at Thomas & Mack in November

Manny Pacquiao is fighting off the Strip for his comeback match, but he won’t be too far away.

The Filipino boxer is set to have a bout at Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV for Nov. 5, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum confirmed Wednesday.

UNLV originally had the date reserved for the men’s basketball team’s exhibition game against New Mexico Highlands. The game will now be moved to a Friday, Nov. 4, according to the university’s athletic website.

Arum spoke with UNLV athletic director Tina Kunzer-Murphy last week about using the campus arena. After Murphy talked it over with UNLV coach Marvin Menzies, Arum was given the green light. However, an opponent has yet to be found.

“Over the weekend we talked to her and she told us, ‘OK,’ and was able to do it,” Arum said. “It’s great for the university because it’s good publicity and good income from the boxing match.”

Arum had planned to use Mandalay Bay Events Center on Oct. 15, but Pacquiao’s senatorial duties caused him to adjust the date. That left Arum scrambling for a new venue on the Strip. Dates in the fall quickly have filled up with sporting events and concerts.

Arum hoped to have an MGM-owned arena on either Oct. 29 or Nov. 5, but was told everything was booked.

“They tried hard, but they had nothing available,” Arum said. “They really tried, but couldn’t do it. There was nothing available. We couldn’t even get an arena for December.”

The promoter said the list of opponents has been narrowed to the winner of Saturday’s unification bout between Terence Crawford-Viktor Postol and Las Vegan Jessie Vargas.

Vargas, the WBO welterweight champion, said he wouldn’t mind fighting off the Strip.

“It’s still Vegas and we Vegas natives know it’s great fighting there (Thomas & Mack),” Vargas said. “It would be a real treat to fight at home. I look forward to be in a position to fight Pacquiao. He’s had my WBO belt before so let’s get a fight.”

Pacquiao isn’t new to Thomas & Mack. The former eight-division champion defeated Erik Morales there twice in 2006.

The last time the Thomas & Mack Center hosted a boxing event was November for the Timothy Bradley Jr.-Brandon Rios fight, also a Top Rank promoted card.

Pacquiao is ending a brief retirement after last fighting against Bradley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in April. The future Hall-of-Famer wasn’t sure if his duties with the Philippine Senate would allow him to fight again.

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0492. Follow him on Twitter: @gmanzano24