As I sat in the front row of the Manny Pacquiao?Antonio Margarito post-fight press conference, it became evident that most of the media in attendance had already moved past breaking down the Filipino superstar?s latest accomplishment for much more pressing matters.
One by one, as promoter Bob Arum, trainer Freddie Roach, and eventually the new WBC light middleweight champion himself stood at the dais, the questions they fielded took a familiar pattern.
?Bob, what are the chances of a Floyd Mayweather fight still happening??
?Freddie, Shane Mosley is here and he wants to fight Manny. What about him??
?Manny, would you be interested in a third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez??
While Pacquiao?s performance against a heavier, taller, and supposedly stronger opponent was one for the ages, one would have to possess the skills to sell a ketchup popsicle to a woman with white gloves to convince the public that Margarito was the man they wanted to see last Saturday night.
References to ?Tommy Boy? aside, at this point in Pacquiao?s career, belts take a backseat to bucks. As much as Pacquiao embraced the idea of winning an historic eighth world title in as many weight classes, I would guess that the prospect of making upwards of $25 million?a result of earning the lion?s share of the purse in a Top Rank in-house production?was more of a driving factor in him taking the Margarito fight.
That said, now that the ?Pac-Man? has gobbled up another well-deserved gargantuan payday, the real question becomes who will be the next soul to step in the ring with him. I decided to canvas the situation by asking some of the principal decision makers involved in the Pacquiao sweepstakes to find out.
FLOYD MAYWEATHER
147 pounds
THE RING?s No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter
Why: Other than the teams of the other eight men on this list, the other 99.9% of the boxing world have been salivating over this fight ever since Pacquiao defeated Mayweather opponents Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton in quicker fashion than the ?Money? man. Such an affair would pair the two best fighters of the past decade with genuine animosity between them and a payout that would exceed anything the sport has ever seen. What?s not to like about this fight? Even rival promoters concede that thought as more fact than opinion.
?The first fight that should be made is Mayweather and Pacquiao,? said Gary Shaw, Pacquiao?s former promoter and current handler of Timothy Bradley.
?Obviously the whole world is hoping for Pacquiao and Mayweather but if that doesn?t work, then what?s Bob [Arum] going to do?? wondered Lou DiBella, who promotes Andre Berto and World Middleweight Champion Sergio Martinez.
Why Not: For starters, Mayweather?s legal issues might make any negotiations moot. In addition to his January 24 court case for domestic violence allegations (a case that MaxBoxing broke down in September), Floyd?s uncle and trainer, Roger, faces a similar domestic violence case on the same day. That doesn?t even include the former pound-for-pound king?s role in an alleged associate?s attempted murder case or the misdemeanor battery charge he just picked up yesterday!
?Obviously, we like everyone in boxing would like to see him fight Floyd Mayweather next,? said Bob Arum, ?and we?re going to see if we can make that happen, and that?s our first priority. It requires Floyd Mayweather?s willingness to do the fight, and some take on the Nevada court system as to when the fight could take place, where we wouldn?t be blindsided by a trial or anything like that. But we?re going to work through those issues in the next couple of weeks.?
The fighter himself was a little more guarded with his take on the matter. ?Well, if the fight happened, that?s good,? Pacquiao told ESPN?s Jaime Motta outside the locker room. ?And if not, I?m okay because I?m happy with what I have done in boxing.?
Then, of course, you have the drug testing issue. Whether or not we can confirm that Team Pacquiao agreed to unlimited testing is one thing. But when HBO President of Sports Ross Greenburg went on the record and confirmed that he had been in talks with both sides since May 2nd, refuting Mayweather adviser Leonard Ellerbe?s statement that such negotiations never took place, then one has to call into question Mayweather?s desire to take the fight.
With that said, there is just too much at stake for a proud five-time champion like Floyd to leave on the table, whether we?re talking about money or, dare I say it, legacy. Because with every million-plus buys that Pacquiao does, and every second Mayweather remains inactive, the latter gradually loses what bargaining leverage he has left for a 50-50 split.
This time last year, I was confident that Floyd would sign on the dotted line, eventually. However, with his recent self-destructive run-ins with the law and reports about his ?vacation,? I?m a little more wary now of that occurring, Don King or no Don King mediating in his corner.
SHANE MOSLEY
147-154 pounds
Why: I?ll be honest. After his mind-blowing stoppage of Margarito, Mosley was No. 2 with a bullet in terms of who I would have liked Pacquiao to have fought after knocking out Hatton. Then take into account Mosley’s recent appearances at Top Rank cards the last two weeks and his new alliance with adviser James Prince, and you have a situation much more favorable to Team Pacquiao, as far as negotiations, than ever before.
?[Golden Boy’s] Richard [Schaefer] won?t be involved in [negotiations] because Golden Boy and Top Rank have a problem, so I would do it myself with James Prince. Both us talked to Top Rank a little bit,? said Mosley.
Mosley then attempted to clarify his promotional situation.
?I?m not leaving [Golden Boy]. I?m just taking another route to get the fights I need. I?m a partner with Golden Boy but I?m not under contract with them. If I fought, it would be under Sugar Shane Promotions…it could [hurt relations with Golden Boy] but I?m at the end of my career and pretty soon, there?s going be other fighters.?
Why Not: Fast forward from last January to today, and unless the readers can help me out, I?m finding it hard to make a case for a Pacquiao-Mosley fight right now.
I am skeptical the public would be willing to put up $59.99 to see a fight featuring an aging legend who was dominated by Mayweather after two competitive rounds and eked out a draw against Sergio Mora. Thus, a win over ?Sugar? Shane now is not only devalued as far its prestige but moreso in the sense that it remains to be seen if there will be enough greenbacks to make it viable.
?Why should fans buy Mosley-Pacquiao?? Shaw continued. ?He lost 11 of 12 rounds against Mayweather. If Pacquiao is considered the best of the world, then we already know the outcome of that fight.?
Still, Mosley assured MaxBoxing on Saturday that he has enough left in the tank for one more run for glory in an unforgettable career where he has unequivocally ducked no one.
?I definitely am [interested],? argued Mosley. ?Pacquiao?s fought everybody except me and Floyd.?
JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ
135 pounds
World/WBA/WBO Lightweight Champion
THE RING?s No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter
Why: Reminiscent of Lennox Lewis? hell-bent quest to avenge his losses against Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman, the only significant thorn in Pacquiao?s r?sum? remains his inability to convincingly defeat Marquez, both at featherweight, where the Filipino secured a draw, and at junior lightweight when he scraped by with a split decision. The same Mexican fan base that contributed to the 1.4 million buys last Saturday would undoubtedly increase in size to support Marquez for a third tiff with Pacquiao.
One thing I pointed out to Freddie Roach was that his charge weighed in at just over 144 pounds against Margarito, which was the same weight Marquez came in at against Mayweather. Since Manny could conceivably make 144, how about the two fighters meeting there?
?Not 144. We would do it at 147 pounds,? countered Roach. ?I?d like Manny to be able to eat again and not skip meals.?
Why Not: If WBA light welterweight titlist Amir Khan gets lambasted by the press for ?picking on the smaller Marquez,? then why would Pacquiao, a full-fledged welterweight beltholder, be exempt from any criticism if he pursued a fight with ?Dinamita? at anywhere over 140? Also consider Marquez?s age (37), his performance with the extra pounds against Mayweather, and the inevitable heated negotiations with rival promoter Golden Boy, and there might be enough there to deter Top Rank from trying to make Pacquiao-Marquez III.
PAUL WILLIAMS
147-154 pounds
THE RING?s No. 5 pound-for-pound fighter
Why: What a matchup! On one side, you have 5?6.5? fighter with the power, speed, and stamina to throw over a thousand punches over 12 rounds. Now put him up against a guy with the same height as a towering Antonio Margarito (6?1.5?) with the same capacity for volume and the arduous task of getting around his 82-inch reach. The fight would be quite the test to see how high Manny?s ceiling really goes. Oh, yeah, like Pacquiao, Williams is a southpaw, and unlike Sergio Martinez, can make the 147-pound limit. I would love to see this fight.
Why Not: Williams is not yet a household name with mainstream fans, or as I like to call them, the independent voters of the sport. While hardcore fight aficionados would lap this bowl up in a second, I feel that Goossen-Tutor Promotions has a little more work to do as far as making it worthwhile for Team Pacquiao to take the risks involved with fighting a stylistic puzzle like Williams.
?The Punisher? can start this Saturday, when faces Martinez on HBO. The extra exposure will help a lot, and securing a middleweight title wouldn?t hurt, especially because Goossen-Tutor could theoretically set up a scenario with the belt on the line?a possible ninth for Pacquiao?albeit at yet another catchweight.
SERGIO MARTINEZ
160 pounds
World/WBC Middleweight Champion
THE RING?s No. 6 pound-for-pound fighter
Why: Similar to a potential bout with Williams, Pacquiao-Martinez would be another type of fight that would captivate the boxing world because of the height and weight discrepancies between the two fighters. Moreover, the very skilled southpaw, like his challenger on Saturday, is knee-deep in his prime and would present more than a legitimate challenge to the ?Pac-Man?s? amazing winning streak. Wouldn?t you pony up the cash to see if a former junior flyweight can put a sting on a middleweight champion?
Why Not: In addition, just like a proposed bout with Williams, questions would arise whether Martinez has the fan base to attract enough pay-per-view buyers, or if the promotion will be one-sided like Pacquiao-Clottey. I think if Martinez can outhustle Williams by a sizable margin, HBO and everyone involved could make this storyline work for the reasons above.
But then there?s common sense. By his own admission, Pacquiao revealed to the press after the fight that a body shot did hurt him, and that it took a lot for him to weather Margarito?s storm in that sixth round alone. Everyone has limits, even Manny Pacquiao.
When I brought up the hypothetical situation of Martinez emerging victorious against Williams, I asked Lou how he planned to propose a fight to Top Rank.
?I?d love to do Sergio with Pacquiao at 154 if he were to stay at that weight class. First of all, the issue with Paul or Sergio is that Manny?s moved up so many weight classes that he doesn?t have much to prove in terms of moving up again. I?m not a big fan of catchweights, and Manny has created the catchweight situation but the truth is, he?s a little guy. We?d do it at ’54.?
But could Martinez make the weight?
?Yes,? answered DiBella. ?Sergio?s a tremendous athlete and he does what he has to do. But right now, he?s better off fighting at a bigger weight. He bulked up and strengthened himself for the fight with [Kelly] Pavlik and in a perfect world, he?s a middleweight. But the answer is yes.?
ANDRE BERTO
147 pounds
WBC welterweight champion
Why: With all the hoopla surrounding Pacquiao?s WBO welterweight belt a by-product of a controversial catchweight, a win over Berto at the regular limit of 147 pounds would conclude any dissension regarding his legacy at that weight class. It also offers the ?Pac-Man? to fight a young boxer entering his prime, as well as a safety valve if Top Rank can?t come to an agreement with Mayweather, Mosley, Marquez, or any other big names.
?I don?t think Top Rank is anticipating fighting bigger men. Manny?s really a welterweight, so Berto and Manny is a fight I?d love to do,? shared DiBella. ?We wouldn?t price ourselves out of it, and we have a young, fresh, live, powerful kid with great skills, and while he has nowhere the credentials of Manny Pacquiao, we would love the opportunity.?
Why Not: While his eighth-round stoppage of former champ Carlos Quintana was a step in the right direction, Berto?s performances haven?t quite set the boxing world on fire since he won the WBC belt against Miguel Angel Rodriguez. Therefore, the Nov. 27 title defense against Freddy Hernandez is not a must-win; it?s a must-win-while-looking-like-someone-I?d-pay-60-bucks-to-see for Andre Berto.
MIGUEL COTTO 154 pounds
WBA light middleweight champion
Why: Eerily similar to Marco Antonio Barrera?s successful move up in weight following a crushing defeat to Pacquiao, Cotto?s stoppage of Yuri Foreman silenced a lot of doubters who felt that the Puerto Rican?s career as an elite fighter had come to an end. In addition, it resuscitated the faint whispers that shaving off the extra two pounds in his first fight with Pacquiao was a main contributor to his downfall last November.
As evidenced by the extravaganza at Yankee Stadium five months ago, Cotto still brings a very strong Boricua following with him, one that, if given a reason, will support their fighter with their wallets. Finally, Cotto?s WBA light middleweight belt can be tossed on the table and dangled in front of Team Pacquiao for unification.
Why Not: Did you see the first fight? Like his first encounter with Barrera, Pacquiao stopped his opponent in the championship rounds, leaving no doubt as to why Manny laid claim to the pound-for-pound crown. And much like the predictable pattern the Barrera rematch took in 2007, would the fans fall for the old ?okie-doke? the second time around if Top Rank shoved Pacquiao-Cotto II down their throats?
In my opinion, Cotto would need to at least creep back into the pound-for-pound rankings, which would probably necessitate he move up in weight to find an opponent who could raise his profile. But 154 might be his final stop.
TIMOTHY BRADLEY
140 pounds
WBO light welterweight champion
THE RING?s No. 10 pound-for-pound fighter
Why: Bradley has a chance to make some noise by winning a unification battle with WBC champ Devon Alexander in January. With Team Pacquiao?s purported desire to move back down to welterweight, aside from the trio of Mayweather, Mosley, and Berto, there isn?t much else right now to get fans the least bit excited there.
As a result, though unlikely, Pacquiao could take a look at the light welterweights to come out and play at 147. If you ask Shaw, he?s got just the guy.
?Tim Bradley is the single best 140-pounder out there,? Gary opined. ?When he beats Devon Alexander, I believe the only fight that should be made at that point is Tim Bradley and Manny Pacquiao.?
Why Not: Money or a lack thereof. Bradley has demonstrated a willingness to fight anytime, anywhere, as shown by his trip to England to win a decision on Junior Witter?s home turf. But at the moment, the payday in a Pacquiao-Bradley showdown would not trump one that the Filipino could get fighting Marquez, Cotto, or maybe even Mosley. Shaw disagrees about the last example I brought up.
?I believe that Mosley is a shot fighter and I think he proved that in his last fight,? Shaw felt. ?He wasn?t the same Shane Mosley who is a Hall of Famer.?
Nonetheless, Shaw, who once promoted Pacquiao, is optimistic he can make the fight happen down the road.
?Maybe Manny would rather fight at 140 or ?43 but you know, I?m sure there would be so much money there that Tim would fight at whatever weight Manny wanted to fight at,? said Shaw. ?But I?d have to go to Tim and the team and get their opinion. I know Tim?s not afraid of Manny Pacquiao.?
DEVON ALEXANDER
140 pounds
WBC/IBF light welterweight champion
Why: He has two 140-pound titles at the moment (the IBF has pulled sanctioning the Bradley fight) and as such, has the opportunity of a lifetime to be the first man with three de facto belts at light welterweight since Kostya Tszyu.
Why Not: Hardly anyone outside of St. Louis or hardcore fight fans would be able to identify the talented Alexander in a Where?s Waldo book. As a result, it would be extremely difficult for ?Alexander the Great? to secure a fight with Pacquiao without having courted more HBO dates and nationwide fan approval, a task made even more difficult after he struggled against Andriy Kotelnik in defending his dual diadems. An impressive win over Bradley to unify three light welterweight belts would be a nice start toward rebuilding the Don King-promoted Alexander?s reputation.
WHERE IS THIS GOING?
This is just one writer?s opinion but I think that Pacquiao is going to resume his congressional duties in the Philippines, while taking a nice, long ?staycation? from boxing. His 32nd birthday is just around the corner on Dec. 17, and with the chief option of Mayweather being out of his control until the American?s cases are resolved, the ?Pac-Man? will be in no hurry to lace up his Cleto Reyes gloves anytime soon.
We all want the fight with Mayweather but if Floyd continues to be as elusive as he is in the ring, what then?
With the aforementioned ongoing ?Cold War? between Top Rank and Golden Boy, it would be difficult to see Pacquiao-Marquez III at the top of the list. I think Marquez will be subsequently content to defend his lightweight belt against Robert Guerrero in the meantime.
The winner of Martinez-Williams will definitely be in the mix. It better be, somehow.
Neither junior welterweight champion has the juice to help carry a pay-per-view at the moment, even though a lot can change in a year.
For now, what will be interesting to watch unfold is the three-way chess game between Shane Mosley, Andre Berto, and Miguel Cotto.
In order for Mosley to be marketable at all, he needs a notable victory over a name fighter, much like what the Margarito upset did for him after his loss to Cotto. As a result, with his promotional status up in the air, and his ostensible plan to ?go rogue,? his next move could set off a domino effect in the hunt for ?Pac-Man?s? signature.
With both Pacquiao and Mayweather idle, if Mosley continues to deal with Top Rank and stays at 154 pounds to rematch Cotto for his belt, then Berto might be left holding the bag. In terms of vertical mobility for the Haitian at that point, HBO?s options aren?t too appetizing at welterweight. He could possibly fight Mike Jones but I feel Jones owes Jesus Soto Karass a rematch after their recent war in Arlington. Maybe Berto might even start fishing for a junior welterweight titlist like Bradley or Alexander.
If Mosley goes elsewhere, then maybe they play musical chairs and DiBella strikes a deal with Top Rank to have Berto move up in weight to face Cotto at Madison Square Garden.
Either way, I would rather see Mosley fight Andre Berto for the WBC welterweight title, a bout that has fallen apart at the negotiating table twice in the past. The clash could act as an eliminator of sorts, with the victor staying alive and a legitimate win on his ledger to boot.
When it comes to determining Manny Pacquiao?s 58th professional opponent, all we can do is hope for the best and prepare for the worst. For the sake of the sport?s well-being, let?s remain optimistic that our wishes are granted.
Ryan can be reached at [email protected] or on Facebook at facebook.com/rmaq28.
* Special Thanks To MaxBoxing.
