With Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao now training his sights on another big fight not named Juan Manuel Marquez, the Mexico-based World Boxing Council may yet just have the perfect man to challenge the reigning champ.
Marquez, who holds the WBC super-featherweight title, had earlier been ordered by the WBC along with the camp of Pacquiao to start negotiations for their mandatory showdown. However, owing to differences by their respective promoters, a potential clash between two of the biggest names in the 130-lb division is almost surely not going to be made.
Pacquiao, according to his promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank, is considering Joan Guzman, Edwin Valero, Marco Antonio Barrera or Humberto Soto as he next ring adversary.
Marquez, who is set to defend his title on September 15 in Las Vegas, is looking at a possible rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera, from whom he wrested the WBC title in March.
Anticipating a potential Pacquiao clash with another fighter other than Marquez, the WBC through its Appeals Committee is set to put Humberto Soto behind Pacquiao in the rankings, relegating Barrera to no. 3.
Appeals committee chairman Bismarck Morales told the Mexican media the other day that should Pacquiao and Marquez fail to come up with a deal for their fight, Soto will be installed as next in line to challenge Marquez.
Soto, however, is best advised not to look past his June 9 opponent Bobby Pacquiao, who is reportedly putting in the needed work at Wild Card Gym to cause an earth-shaking upset at the Madison Square Garden in New York.
If Soto hurdles past the younger Pacquiao, he has the WBC to back him for a crack at Marquez.
“The Committee of Appeals of the WBC, after making the corresponding investigations in the case of Mr. Humberto Soto, has recommended to the rankings committee, to put Soto back into the no. 2 position where he should be,” Bismarck Morales told Soto’s camp.
Promoter Bob Arum had hinted that Pacquiao’s next fight is set on October 6, although the Filipino icon had also indicated his interest to fight in September following his electoral debacle at the hands of Representative Darlene Antonino-Custodio.
