By James “Get A Proper Job” Slater: It may well prove to be a case of looking past the challenge of one Sugar Shane Mosley – who, in case anyone doesn’t know, will lock horns with Manny Pac-Man Pacquiao in just over 24 hours time – but promoter extraordinaire Bob Arum is already planning the Filipino superstar’s next fight.
As per a report on GMAnewsonline, Uncle Bob very much wants to next match his cash-cow with Mexican idol Juan Manuel Marquez – and Arum doesn’t mind saying so. There were a number of top names thought to be in with a shout of facing the reigning P-4-P king in November (now that a fight with Floyd Mayweather Junior seems to have no chance of happening here in 2011), but Arum has announced how it is 37-year-old “Dinamita” who is now the frontrunner.
Of course, as shrewd and as experienced as he is, 79-year-old Arum has seen to it that a rematch clause is in place, just in case the 39-year-old “Sugarman” upsets the applecart tomorrow night in Las Vegas. Leaving nothing to chance, Arum had the contracts stipulate that if Mosley wins tomorrow, a return must be fought within six months.
“Yes, we have a rematch clause, and it takes place within six months,” the Top Rank boss stated.
Not too many fans seem to think this precaution was needed, but upsets, even massive ones, do happen. Arum knows his stuff! But assuming the formbook is obeyed inside the magnificent MGM Grand Garden Arena, Pac-Man will be heading towards yet another mega-fight: this one likely to be with the man he has drawn with and also scraped a split decision victory against.
Arum explained how he already has a November 12th date reserved for the “Thrilogy,” and that barring the chance Marquez is, for whatever reason unavailable (in which case, Arum stated, he will look towards a “younger opponent,” maybe a Tim Bradley or, “the other younger guys out there.”) this is the long-awaited return that will happen. I for one feel the magnificent Mexican will be available for the November fight; what with the date bringing with it a chance for him to get the win he feels he has twice been unfairly denied of.
Ah, but at what weight will the two greats fight? We all saw how Marquez was unable to fight anywhere close to effectively up at welterweight when he faced the sublime skills of “Money” Mayweather a couple of years ago. Pac-Man may fight a whole lot different to Floyd, but Manny has proven time and again that he can rumble with anyone at 147-pounds. Marquez has not.
Are we about to witness yet another catch-weight affair? Even Pacquiao himself is not sure.
“I don’t know yet,” the southpaw dynamo said recently when asked what weight a third go with Marquez would be fought at.
Pac-Man did say, though, that he is around “80-percent sure” it will be Juan Manuel who he tangles with post-Mosley.
There I go again, dismissing Mosley’s chances! Maybe, just maybe, “Sugar” Shane will tomorrow prove himself sweet enough to derail Arum’s plans. At least for six months.