Top Rank promoter Bob Arum will travel to the Philippines next week, where he will present pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao with a list of four possible opponents for him to choose from for his next fight: Juan Manuel Marquez, Timothy Bradley, Miguel Cotto and Lamont Peterson. Whomever Pacquiao chooses, the fight will probably generate 1 million pay per view buys and north of $50 million in revenue. But who should[ital] it be? Let’s break down the pros and cons of the candidates: Juan Manuel Marquez (53-6-1)
Credentials: WBO, WBA Lightweight champion. No. 5 on SI.com’s Pound for Pound list.
Pros: Um, did you see the first three fights? Pacquiao and Marquez are tailor made for each other. Over 36 relentlessly fought rounds only one — Pacquiao’s three knockdown opening round in the first fight — was clear-cut. Marquez’s footwork and ring savvy give Pacquiao fits, while Pacquiao’s power advantage makes Marquez a target for a knockdown at any time. Last November’s meeting was fought in front of a sold-out crowd and likely generated between 1.4 and 1.5 million pay per view buys, leaving no reason to believe a fourth fight on, say, Cinco de Mayo weekend in a Mexican friendly venue (Cowboys Stadium?) wouldn’t do just as well.
Cons: Some variety in Pacquiao’s life would be nice. There’s no question Pacquiao and Marquez have unfinished business, but it’s business that could be settled down the road. Marquez says he isn’t interested in any big fights besides Pacquiao, so there’s little danger he would lose and take the shine off another fight. Besides, there’s a good chance negotiations could get tricky: Marquez probably wants at least a $10 million guarantee while Pacquiao reportedly is looking for a $28 million guarantee.
