By James Slater: Reports have come out saying how promoter Bob Arum will fly to The Philippines this coming Sunday (Jan. 8th), to sit down and talk next opponent talk with superstar Manny Pacquiao. Arum, as always, says he will let Pac-Man and Pac-Man alone have the final say on who he fights next (with team members Freddie Roach, etc also having an input on the eventual decision), but it is Arum who has the short-list the fighter must choose from.
Arum has also told ESPN.com that the date of Pacquiao’s next fight is still to be determined.
“I’m not married to May 5th (the date that was pencilled in by the soon-to-be-incarcerated Floyd Mayweather, who reportedly wanted Pacquiao on that date),” Arum said. “Manny could fight on another date. If Manny’s opponent is Marquez, I’d be much more married to the date.”
May 5th will fall on Mexican Independence Day weekend, so it would be a natural for Pacquiao to fight Mexican great Marquez on that date. But who will Pac-Man choose from his list of four?
Who would the fans prefer Pac-Man fought next?
1: Miguel Cotto. Looking sensational in dissecting archrival Antonio Margarito last time out, Cotto looks like he has way more in the tank than many people thought. In light of Pacquiao’s struggle with Marquez last time out (and his possible signs of having faded at least a little), a return match between these two appeals to me enormously – but would it go down at 147, or at a catch-weight?
2: Juan Manuel Marquez. “Dinamita” would be my personal first choice for Pac-Man’s next foe, but reports are suggesting the Mexican is pricing himself out. Also, as great as a fourth fight would be, would we actually get a clear winner this time? Don’t bet on it.
3: Timothy Bradley. Bradley has wanted a shot at Pacquiao for a long time. Fast enough, strong enough and brave enough he may be, but is Bradley powerful enough to have a real chance against the Filipino dynamo?
4: Lamont Peterson. My personal last choice of the four. Peterson should, in my opinion, take what could be a massive rematch with Amir Khan. Then, assuming “Havoc” won again and Bradley has stayed at 140, these two could meet in a return to decide who the world’s best 140-pounder is. THEN Peterson could take it to the next level and move up.
That’s my take on the list of four available opponents from which Pacquiao must choose, but what’s yours?