Top Rank?s Bob Arum says Manny Pacquiao is good for another six fights, which only serves the 79-year-old promoter well until 2013 when politics and age start to nibble away the Filipino boxing champ?s time and focus.
And until Arum finds another superstar that will bring him in the money, he will pounce on Manny?s still insatiable thirst for glory and look for the match-up that will keep both him and Pacquiao going.
In a way, an oft botched deal to have his ward fight Floyd Mayweather Jr works to their advantage.
It keeps the flame burning and all comers salivating to have a piece of Manny.
And until Mayweather finally agrees to step into the ring with Pacquiao, the two top fighters in the world today won?t get the kind of retirement pay that will make them quit boxing for good.
Manny Pacquiao. Pic: AP.
So there is no stopping or slowing down Manny from boxing, for now at least. Not unless he turns his back on politics tomorrow.
Shane Mosley will be the beginning of the countdown to Manny?s retirement from politics, however. Like it or not, Manny will soon leave boxing.
We can only hope that he will continue to give us some good fights and entertainment.
So many scribes are now guessing who comes next after Mosley.
Detractors of Manny the boxer want to see him lose to nemesis Juan Manuel Marquez, that is why they want the Filipino to have a third fight with the Mexican.
But I don?t think Manny will oblige them for now. Not because he doesn?t want to lose to the Mexican. The risk and reward factor simply isn?t attractive enough.
So who comes after Mosley?
Somebody will have to come up or down the ladder if they want to have a ring date with Manny because, right now, the only exciting fight for him in the welterweight division is one against Andre Berto and it may take another year or two before the Haitian becomes a recognizable name outside of boxing.
Don?t laugh. Cotto may get his wish of another night of thrashing from Pacquiao next year and Marquez sometime in 2012.
Timothy Bradley, Marcos Maidana and Devon Alexander are waiting to be called if they will agree to move up in weight which I think they would without blinking their eyes, all for the sum of money.
But sans Mayweather, I do think Manny will take on Sergio Martinez at a catch weight for his finale fight.
That should be his biggest fight, literally!
