On Thursday night WBC number two contender to the super feather crown Humberto Soto made easy work of Humberto Toledo, knocking out the Ecuadorian within three rounds, and has many wondering if “La Zorrita” is being groomed by Top Rank for a crack at Manny Pacquiao this Fall.
Bob Arum, gave Boxing Confidential his thoughts on a Fall Brawl between Manny and Humbero
“I think a fight between Humberto and Manny would be an unbelievable fight,” said Arum.
Of course, Manny would have to get by Mexican Jorge Solis, who has defeated Soto, on April 14 in El Paso, Texas, in a pay-per-view card, which also features WBC super flyweight champion Crisitan Mijares against Jorge Arce.
Antonio Lozada, Soto’s manager, informed Boxing Confidential from his Tijuana, Mexico office, that Soto looks forward to the possibility of a fight with Manny Pacquiao.
“We want a fight with Manny Pacquiao,” said Lozada, “but I doubt that he will want to fight Humberto.”
Lozada believes that Pacquiao is not the only man ducking Soto, but Marco Antonio Barrera, as well.
“We want the WBC championship Barrera has,” said Lozada, “But he does not want to fight us, if he beats Marquez, he wants to retire champion.
“Let the WBC grant Soto a fight the next highest contender for the interim championship, if Manny and Marco do not want a piece of Humberto.”
Soto is ranked number two and Pacquiao number one. Politics will not allow Pacquiao to fight a Golden Boy fighter such as Barrera. If Barrera is successful against Marquez, or not, you can imagine that his final bout will not be against a difficult opponent such as Soto or Pacquiao.
That could push the hand of the WBC to have Pacquiao and Soto fight for the belt possibly vacated by Barrera.
If Barrera loses and Juan Manuel wears the WBC crown, a fight with Manny Pacquiao is still unlikely, as the WBC will not force a purse bid as long as the legal turmoil over Pacquiao’s rights subsides. Marquez then might be pushed into a fight with Soto.
Be it Pacquiao, Marquez, or Barrera, Humberto Soto deserves a crack at boxing’s best super featherweights.
