It?s a weighty subject to be sure. But, as of today, promoter Bob Arum is not sure of what Manny Pacquiao wants to do. Will MP and trainer Freddie Roach decide that Pacman should keep campaigning at 130 pounds in 2008 or graduate to the lightweight limit of 135 pounds?
?I am not sure because Manny and Freddie have not told me what the decision is yet,” the Top Rank bossman told Boxingconfidential.com from his palatial Las Vegas home
Wednesday. ?I know that Freddie is continuing to talk to Manny about the situation and they will let me know.?
Arum indicated there is no rush for a weight class decision by Megamanny for several reasons, one of which is that date for Pacquiao?s next fight, if it is to be held in Vegas, has just shifted from March 1 until March 15.
?March 1 was not available out here so we cleared the new date with HBO,? Arum said. ?We are also waiting to see what happens with the Juan Manuel Marquez-Rocky Juarez title bout on Nov. 3 (Tucson) and the Joan Guzman-Humberto Soto title bout Nov. 17 (Atlantic City),? Arum said.
Marquez-Juarez airs on Showtime while Guzman-Soto will be screened by rival HBO.
If Manny and No Joke Coach Roach greenlight the five pound move up, Arum reiterated that he?d like Pacquiao ?to test the lightweight waters? against the WBC champ and Erik Morales conqueror he handles, Chicagoan David Diaz.
?If I had my druthers, it would be David as the first opponent at 135 pounds. David Diaz hits harden than does Juan Diaz and I think Manny fighting David would be a good way to try out the new weight,? Arum said.
Arum offered his capsule critique of Marquez-Juarez and of Guzman-Soto.
?Can Rocky Juarez win it? I think he can because I think Marquez looked shot against Barrera and Barrera was no young, fresh guy like Juarez is. Rocky will have it to make it a fight, not a boxing match and if he does that, he can be very dangerous. On the other hand, if Marquez boxes cleverly and carefully, he could box the pants off Juarez.
?To beat Guzman, my guy Soto has to much the same thing. He?ll have to turn it into a fight, a brawl, and be extremely aggressive which is how Humberto always fights anyway. He can?t stand around and let Guzman stink him out because there is no doubt about Guzman being an excellent technician,? Arum said.
I was thinking of asking if our Boxingconfidential.com ?punters? who wish to make a wager should jump all over underdogs Juarez and Soto. But Uncle Bob stopped me cold.
?Remember,? Arum said, ?that?s my take but I?m no big expert.?
Love that Bob. Forty-plus years at the top of the boxing promoter food chain and he remains as humble as?well, as humble as the other guy who?s been on the top perch with him, Don King.
Let?s hear it out there in Pacland: should Manny jump to lightweight now or take JM Marquez?s WBC strap and then move on?
