Manny Pacquiao expected to select next opponent early next year

Manny Pacquiao has told his trainer he’ll settle on his next opponent by early next year when he returns to train in Hollywood.

Trainer Freddie Roach said Thursday that the former eight-division champion from the Philippines is considering three fighters for his return bout from May’s loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The options are unbeaten junior-welterweight champion Terence Crawford, the conclusion of a trilogy with welterweight champion Timothy Bradley Jr., and former training camp stablemate Amir Khan, a former junior-welterweight champion.

Roach said he spoke by telephone recently to Pacquiao, who expressed no immediate preference.

Roach placed Crawford as his top pick, but seemed intrigued about the Bradley fight because of animosity with Bradley’s trainer, Teddy Atlas.

“This guy waits for the camera to get on him … some of the fans really enjoy that [stuff],” Roach said. “He thinks his fighter can beat my fighter because of him. I’d like to show him he can’t.”

Pacquiao, because of an injury during training camp, required shoulder surgery before fighting Mayweather.

In hindsight, Roach agreed that that fight, which Pacquiao lost by unanimious decision after reinjuring his shoulder in the fourth round, should have been postponed.

“I was the one who tried to not let the fight happen, but I got outvoted by Manny, [the boxer’s business manager Michael] Koncz, by everybody,” Roach said. “They said if they don’t fight now, they might never fight. I didn’t want that to happen. Manny’s shoulder was getting better and he was sparring with that hand really well in the dressing room right before the fight, but by the fourth round it was over.”

Roach said Pacquiao reported to him that the shoulder has healed.

“Manny needs to fight, win, come out healthy and show the world his shoulder is 100%,” Roach said. “If he does, I think we can get Mayweather.

“I don’t see Floyd -- and Manny -- leaving all that money on the table. If Manny looks good, even if it’s $100 million for Mayweather instead of $300 million, that’s a lot of money. The way Mayweather spends money, and the way Manny is so generous with his, I would hate for either to go broke. This is a way for them to not go broke.”