Reports from the United States say that Manny Pacquiao’s shot at the World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight crown could happen sometime in December and not November as earlier reported by various outlets.

While nothing concrete has been put on paper, the likelihood of it happening is not being ruled out given that the Mexico City-based WBC has given — even informally — its approval to the proposed matchup with the governing body’s president Mauricio Sulaiman flashing the thumbs-up sign.

The current WBC welterweight champion is Mario Barrios of the United States.

Probable dates for a December showdown are the 7th or 14th.

Pacquiao turns 46 on 17 December.

Last time he fought professionally, Pacquiao lost to Cuban Yordenis Ugas on points in August 2021 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Since then, boxing’s only eight-division world champion has figured in two exhibition matches in Korea in 2022 and in Japan only last month.

Also rallying behind Pacquiao’s plan to stage a comeback is Australian conditioning coach Justin Fortune, who believes the Filipino southpaw has the edge in speed, power and experience, qualities he feels would be enough to dethrone Barrios.

Fortune, a former heavyweight fighter and powerlifter, started working with Pacquiao in 2003.