Boxing: Duco's Jeff Horn set to fight Manny Pacquiao

Jeff Horn celebrates his win over Ali Funeka. Photosport

Joseph Parker's Duco stablemate Jeff Horn is preparing to fight boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao amid speculation the pair will step into the ring at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.

Welterweight Horn has been in the mix to fight Pacquiao after impressive wins over Germany's Rico Mueller and South African veteran Ali Funeka last year.

The Funeka victory was on the undercard of Parker's WBO world heavyweight victory over Andy Ruiz last month.

Pacquio's influential promoter Bob Arum has hinted Brisbane-based Horn, touted as Australia's brightest boxing talent, is top of the pile to meet the Filipino legend.

"Jeff Horn is a good possibility. I will be flying soon to the Philippines once I (have) finalised every detail," Arum told the Manila Times.

School teacher Horn's window has opened with Pacquiao's anticipated bout with unbeaten Terrence Crawford in the US likely for the latter half of 2017, while Mexican contender Juan Manuel Marquez's camp is yet to state its intentions.

"Now that the New Year is over, I'm going to finalise a location because we're looking out for an opponent depending on the locations like in Australia, England, Middle East or maybe even in Mexico," Arum said.

"That's what I want to do with the last period of Manny's career. I want him to be known as a worldwide fighter.

"There'll be no Pacquiao-Crawford fight in the first six months of the year definitely. Only if the fight will be in the United States but we're not planning the next fight in the United States, so we're also not planning on Crawford now."

Arum has previously said he was ready to take Horn overseas this year to face one of the fighters from his Top Rank stable, likely Jessie Vargas.

The WBO world welterweight title bout with Pacquiao is being slated for April with Horn's promotors reportedly working towards bringing the 38-year-old to Brisbane.

"At the moment we're training to be ready for anyone at any time," Horn told News Corp Australia.

"If we get the date to fight Vargas straight away, we'll be ready and if we get the chance to take a fight before that it's even better."