Manny Pacquiao yesterday said he?s flying to the US next week and, hopefully over Thanskgiving dinner with his promoter Bob Arum, he?d name his opponent for a scheduled March 15 fight.
?I?m planning to leave this coming Wednesday. The decision on who I?m going to face next will be announced during Thanksgiving,? Pacquiao, from Gen. Santos City, confirmed over the telephone. ?I will make my decision in the US,? he said.
There are four names, from a high of eight, being mentioned as Pacquiao?s possible opponent when he returns to the ring after an Oct. 6 win over Marco Antonio Barrera.
They are Juan Manuel Marquez, the WBC super-featherweight (130 lbs) champion, David Diaz, the WBC lightweight (135) champion), Joan Guzman and Humberto Soto who are fighting today.
Guzman, of the Dominican Republic, will try to defend his WBO super-feather crown and an undefeated 27-0 record against Soto, a rising Mexican who?s won all his 21 fights (43-5-2) the last five years.
Whoever wins today?s fight, set at the Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City, will keep his ?fight-Pacquiao? card, while the loser will have to lick some wounds waiting for another shot at the Pinoy icon.
Negotiations between Arum and Marquez? handlers from Golden Boy are on. It is a fight that a lot of people want to see, a rematch that should be the first big fight of 2008.
But Pacquiao is also looking at Diaz and his 135-lb title. Both Diaz and Pacquiao are under Arum, and problems with Marquez? stiff asking price could pave the way for an all-Top Rank title bout.
?These are the possible opponents ? Marquez, Diaz and the winner between Guzman and Soto. I just have to choose,? said Pacquiao who, just months ago, was looking at eight names.
These included Edwin Valero, Rocky Juarez, Juan Diaz and even Joel Casamayor. They?ve all called out for Pacquiao with Valero, the WBA super-feather champ, even saying he?d do it for $700,000.
An article at boxingconfidential.com, meanwhile, went a little farther than March 15 and stretched way until Sept. 15 as ?the day that Manny Pacquiao will be willing to step up and challenge Oscar dela Hoya.?
John Chavez wrote that Arum talked about the dream match, and that ?there will be no catch weight involved but rather the Pacman will be stepping up to the welterweight (147 lbs) division.?
Arum has reportedly discussed the possibility with Golden Boy?s Richard Schaefer, and if the fight is held, the ?Rose Bowl would be the location of choice? with ?over 100,000 people in attendance.?
