LAS VEGAS ? The stars are pointing to Edwin Valero, the sensational knockout artist from Venezuela, as Manny Pacquiao?s opponent on Nov. 8.
Bob Arum, Top Rank president and Pacquiao?s promoter, said without mentioning Valero?s name that yes, it?s a fight being worked out.
Pacquiao and his chief trainer, Freddie Roach, have indicated their desire to fight IBO light-welterweight champ Ricky Hatton next.
But Hatton, known as ?The Hitman? from Manchester, is scheduled to face Paul Malignaggi of the US in November.
?As far as I?m concerned Ricky Hatton is scheduled to fight Paul Malignaggi this November. So Manny will fight to defend his lightweight title,? said Arum.
He said Top Rank has penciled Nov. 8 as the date for Pacquiao?s next bout.
?So if we can do a Ricky Hatton we?ll look to do it sometime next year,? Arum added.
Then he pointed to someone else ? and that?s Valero, the WBA 130-lb champion.
?Everybody?s hoping for this fight and hopefully we?ll be able to deliver it. Everybody?s gonna be happy and the fight is going to be in November,? Arum said.
The ageless promoter and Harvard lawyer said Pacquiao, following his crushing win over David Diaz Saturday, should fight in November.
?He?s going to fight in November and the date we?ve selected is Nov. 8. It will be either in Texas or be here,? he said.
Texas stepped into the picture because it?s the only US state where Valero, who is based in Japan, can fight.
Valero failed a medical in New York a few years ago due to a brain injury he suffered in a motorcycle accident, and is banned from fighting in the US. A few months ago, however, he was granted a license to fight in Texas.
He has plied his trade in Japan, Panama, Venezuela, France and Argentina over the last three years, and has made a lot of noise knocking out his opponents.
Valero, 26, five-foot-six and a southpaw, has won all his 24 bouts via knockout, winning his first 18 right in the first round.
The longest bout he?s had came against Vicente Mosquera whom he stopped in the 10th round in 2006 in Panama. He fought less than two weeks ago in Japan, knocking out Takehiro Shimada in the seventh.
For whatever reason, Arum did not mention Valero?s name. But it was clear he was referring to the knockout specialist out of Bolero Alto in Merida, Venezuela.
?The opponent had a medical problem but it?s been cleared up at least in one state (Texas) and hopefully it will be cleared up here (Las Vegas), too. I?ve been talking to my friend (Akihiko) Honda (Valero?s manager) and he?s game for the fight,? Arum said.
?I think the people will love it because he?s a huge knockout guy. And he can make 135. He?s gonna do it. That?s the fight we?re going to be making. And if Manny is successful in that fight then we?ll look and see if Hatton is available.?
A Pacquiao-Valero showdown should be easy to sell, considering the nature of both fighters who always go for the knockout.
And there?s some animosity between them, too, starting off when Pacquiao reportedly said Valero?s victims were ?tuk-tuk (tricyle) drivers.?
Valero did not like what Pacquiao said, and over a year ago challenged the Filipino to an immediate fight so ?we?ll know who the tricycle driver is.?
