LOS ANGELES ? Manny Pacquiao will devote much of his time next year training for high-profile fights, Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said during a talk with Filipino newsmen as Pacquiao prepared for his departure for Manila where he is expected to arrive Thursday morning.
Arum told reporters that Pacquiao plans to make his first 2008 fight in February or March and fight again in June or July and then cap the year with a November appearance.
This year, Pacquiao only fought two times, against Jorge Solis in San Antonio, Texas, last April and against Barrera in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao?s convincing win has attracted a lot of attention from fighters eager to cash in on his popularity, others to get on the ring with him to see if he is real or a mere product of PR hype.
The list includes David Diaz, the reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight titleholder, WBC featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez who will meet Rocky Juarez on Nov. 3 in Arizona, and Joan Guzman of the Dominican Republic, who battles the Humberto Soto of Mexico on Nov. 17.
“Everbody wants a piece of Manny Pacquiao,” said Arum.
Aside from Diaz, Marquez and Guzman, others who have been making noise the past few days include Venezuelan knockout artist Edwin Valero, the current World Boxing Association 130-lb supremo and Cuban veteran Joel Casamayor.
Valero was at ringside during the Pacquiao-Barrera rematch and left unimpressed with Pacquiao?s showing.
“All speed, no power,” Valero, 22-0 with 22 knockouts, told a Filipino reporter.
While Las Vegas remains the frontrunner in hosting Pacquiao fights, Macau is also eager to host the world?s finest fighter pound-for-pound.
Pacquiao hinted at the possibility of invading the lightweight ranks when he experienced difficulties making the 130-lb limit in the Barrera match, having to get rid of two to three pounds hours before the official weigh-in.
Pacquiao, meanwhile, is set to arrive this morning on board Philippine Airlines flight 103 in Manila, where well-wishers have been aching to see him in the flesh after that lopsided 12-round unanimous decision win over the rugged Barrera at the Mandalay Bay.
He will be joined in the 16-hour journey by his advisers, led by Cebu boxing impresario Wakee Salud, whose newly-built RWS Gym in the Queen City, played host to Pacquiao?s training.
