Richie Rich Schaefer, Golden Boy?s boss with the salsa picante (hot sauce), was in New York this past week. While in my city, Schaefer made a bee line for?where else??the Sixth Avenue offices of HBO where he huddled with the premium cable network suits about scheduled bouts and possible future fights.
I wasn?t a fistic fly on the wall but, in light of colleague Ricardo Lois? scoop that undefeated WBA junior lightweight champ Edwin Valero is moving back to the Los Angeles area from Tokyo (meaning that his relicensing by an American state athletic commission is likely pending), I?ve got to surmise that Manny Pacquiao?s post-March 15 future was discussed.
(Sidelight: I wish Mr. S had given me a buzz because I would’ve been more than happy to take him to Gray’s Papaya King and host him for the Recession Special (two tiny but tasty hot dogs and a papaya drink). I would’ve paid the tab even though it has zoomed up from $2.75 to $3.50 now.)
It’s no secret that HBO and Showtime both lay out their boxing schedules as many months in advance as possible to assist insertion in consumer cable TV guides and to give their marketing and publicity arms plenty of time to get to work sending the word out about their offerings.
Look, no one is saying that proud Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez is any day at the beach for Manny two days before St. Patrick?s Day but I think Juan Ma would have to be an unusually lucky leprechaun to upset Pacman that night in Vegas. So where would MP go if he wins?
Well, if for any reason GBP decides to keep the wild-swinging Venezuelan away from also unbeaten WBO ruler Joan Guzman, who else would you stick Valero in the ring with?
Yeah, bingo! Megamanny, who has supposedly belittled Valero?s victims list as a bunch of piddling ?tuk-tuk? or pedicab pusher. Valero-Pacquiao would be a perfect stepping stone from which, if he wins, Pacman could then rise up to the lightweight division where Juan ?Baby Bull? Diaz and other juicy foes await him.
You can be sure, if the money is right, MP’s lead promoter, Uncle Bob Arum, would OK Pac-Valero in a heartbeat. The Top Rank honcho considers Valero mere batting practice for the Pinoy idol while, at the same time, he shakes in his booties thinking about the speed problems Guzman presents for his golden Pacgoose.
Valero-Guzman is a neat fight. Valero-Pacquiao is a neat fight. The estimable Edwin, relicensed in the US, becomes the true ?wild card? among the junior lightweight elite.
I?m getting hyped up just thinking about how savory both of those pairings are. Can you dig it?
