Eight division world champion and pound-for-pound great Manny Pacquiao had confirmed his return to the boxing ring in February or March next year through his adviser, Michael Koncz, according to Boxing News 24.

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Top Rank chief Bob Arum had mentioned in a recent interview that if everything goes well in his boxer's rehabilitation, the Pac-Man could be fighting before the year ends, as per Tha Boxing Voice.

This comment by Arum led a lot of fans to believe that either the Top Rank boss wants Pacquiao to fail in his comeback bid or the Mexicutioner did not tear his right rotator cuff at all.

Fighting too soon after such a serious shoulder injury that required surgery will not do any boxer good, unless there had been no injury in the first place. Doctors said that the time it takes for the shoulder to fully heal is about nine months to a year, depending on the extent of the damage.

It is apparent that a 36-year-old who had logged hundreds of hours and thousands of punches in his whole career should be pushed into returning too early from a shoulder injury.

However, with the inconsistencies in the statements of people inside Pacquiao's camp itself, the speculation that the shoulder injury was simply exaggerated as an excuse for the Filipino pugilist's shameful loss to pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. is constantly growing.

It was suggested by boxing fanatics that Arum or Koncz should release an official medical document that proves Pacquiao really had that injury last May, or else the taint in Manny's integrity will forever be there.

Arum's pronouncement of a Pacquiao fight by the end of the year made the gossip worse. Luckily, there was Koncz to somewhat extinguish the fire against the former Fighter of the Decade.

Meanwhile, Boxing Scene indicated that possible return opponents for Pacquiao next year are Briton Amir Khan or Arum's up and coming fighter Terence Crawford. It was also reported that the match might take place in Dubai.

Khan, who had always been frustrated of a mega fight with Mayweather, is now setting his sights on a big-time match with the Pac-Man. But Arum is allegedly more inclined to promote his ward Crawford than give Al Haymon's client a chance to face Pacquiao.

TagsBoxing, Boxing 2015, Boxing News, Boxing News 2015, Boxing Rumors, Boxing Rumors 2015, manny pacquiao, Bob Arum, Michael Koncz