MANNY PACQUIAO WILL bid to win a 12th major world title when he faces Argentina’s WBA World welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse in Kuala Lumpur on 14 July.

The 39-year-old Filipino senator and army colonel recently announced plans to launch his own cryptocurrency, and has been out of the ring since a controversial defeat to Australian Jeff Horn in Brisbane last summer.

For the first time in over 17 years, the eight-weight world champion won’t have long-time coach Freddie Roach in his corner when he trades leather with Matthysse; the Hall-of-Famer and seven-time Trainer of the Year has been replaced by his assistant, Buboy Fernandez – Pacquiao’s lifelong friend.

When asked why Roach had been ditched – not necessarily permanently – after 34 fights, Pac-Man’s adviser, Michael Koncz, told ESPN: “There was some concerns Manny had in the last fight and some statements Freddie made to the media that Manny wasn’t very pleased about.”

Roach has on several occasions over the past eight months hinted that he’d like to see his most famed student retire with his health intact.

Instead Pacquiao will face a fearsome puncher in Matthysse, and while it’s worth noting that the 35-year-old Argentine is, like Pacquiao, years past his prime, ‘La Maquina’ has a freakish 36 knockouts in 39 wins – the most recent being his January destruction of previously unbeaten Thai Tewa Kiram for the WBA title.

Pacquiao remains hopeful that a fight with Matthysse will lead to a catchweight showdown with pound-for-pound star Vasyl Lomachenko in the autumn.

Top Rank will handle TV distribution of Pacquiao-Matthysse, meaning it will be broadcast live on ESPN in the States, but the bout will be officially promoted by Pacquaio’s own company – MP Promotions – as opposed to Bob Arum’s.

Though rumours of friction are rife, Pacquiao and his team insist they have no issue with Top Rank and intend to work with Pacquaio’s long-time partners for a fight in the autumn.