It may be purely coincidental but the best next fight for Manny Pacquiao, what with going to jail in two days Floyd Mayweather Jr. being–cough, cough–unavailable, is also the most fan friendly Pacman match that can be made right now. Without further adieu, let me explain the Top Reasons Why Pacman should take on Rick Santorum, oops I mean another “surprise candidate” named Lamont Peterson, in his first of two 2012 bouts.
SEE TROUBLEMAKER KEVIN DAVIS WHO DEMANDS BRADLEY VS. PACMAN IF NO MAYWEATHER MONSTER MATCH.
1. This will be a rough and tumble brawl and a stern referee such as Kenny Bayless will be needed to keep both boxers from being excessively rough outside the rules. Manny always comes to fight and so does Brother Peterson. Lamont won’t shiled his face like Joshua Clottey or jump on a bicycle after a knockdown like Sugar Free Shane Mosley did, both of them depriving paying customers of their rightful entertainment. 2. Whiny Amir Khan slapped his supposed “pal” Pacquiao in the face suggesting that Manny, only 33 while Mayweather turns 35 a month from now, should seriously ponder ring retirement after his admittedly plodding effort against Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12. Khan was getting too big for his britches anyway but this was a minor betrayal of BOTH Pacquaio and the genius trainer the two fighters share, Freddie Roach. What better way to counterpunch Not So Cocky Now Khan than by fighting and whipping the plucky underdog who just beat the Brit? 3. Top Rank could add some more “No Mayweather Fight” insurance by slotting Peterson-Pacquiao as the top bout of a juicy doubleheader. Make the co-main event a bout between Tim Bradley and some reasonably rugged opponent, with the idea being that if Bradley wins then he gets either Pacquiao or Peterson next. Then Bob Arum has a fortified Bradley in his bullpen if Mayweather balks at the Super Fight for November. Not that Bradley is so compelling a fighter to watch but the undefeated record has some cosmetic sparkle. As far as Tiny Tim’s opponent, the search would begin for a tough Mexican to tap into that fistic market. 4. It’s another way to play chess against the Mayweather camp because what if a fresh from the slammer “Money” decides he wants a pre-Pacquiao tuneup? Clearly, Mayweather baller and shotcaller Cousin Al Haymon has an eye on his own “In House Special” with Floyd fighting Andre Berto should Berton beat Huggy Bear Victor Ortiz in their Feb. 11 rematch? Maybe it’s me but unless Berto-Ortiz II is the sizzler their first bout was or Ortiz wins this one sensationally, I don’t see a large public appetite for Mayweather against either of these two, do you? 5. Lamont has nothing to lose against Pacquiao and the world to gain. All he has to be is competitive and he’s always competitive. If he shows his mettle against Manny, and I have no doubt as to that, then he will walk into a string of nice paydays beyond the $1 million plus he gets to take on Pacquiao. No one’s calling Clottey or Mosley lately but Lamont won’t stiff the fans like they did against Megamanny. 6. Pacquiao, if he puts his pedal to the metal, has ca real shot at a KO against Peterson because of Lamont’s willing, aggressive style. Such a KO or stoppage could reenergize Pacman and fortify him for the next step, be it a dumb but wildly lucrative fourth try to tame Juan Ma or the Lollapalooza with Mayweather. There, I’ve said it. ([email protected])
