Manny ?PacMan? Pacquiao will fight either Juan Manuel Marquez or Miguel Cotto on November 10, and a Pacquiao victory is likely to be followed by a super fight in April against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Top Rank chief executive Bob Arum, Pacquiao promoter, said Pacquiao?s November opponent will be announced by the end of this week and that the promotional tour for the fight would start on September 4, the day after the long Labor Day weekend.
?It?s all about economics,? Arum told 8CountNews.com?s Brad Cooney as he practically ruled out a Pacquiao rematch against Timothy Bradley because of the likelihood that it would not attract any better than the 900,000 pay-per-view (PPV) the controversial fight had generated.
In contrast, Pacquiao-Cotto on November 14, 2009 generated 1.25 million pay-per-view buys, while Pacquiao? third fight with Marquez last November 12 attracted 1.41 million PPV sales.
Arum told The Manila Times that it would be tough selling a Pacquiao-Bradley rematch because of the farcical split decision loss by Pacquiao in their June 9 title fight which most people thought PacMan clearly won.
Beyond financial considerations, respected HBO commentator Larry Merchant said that Pacquiao fighting Bradley in a rematch may not sit well with boxing fans because ?it?s like lending legitimacy to Bradley?s dubious win over Manny.?
Arum said Marquez, who has been clamoring for a fourth match-up with his Filipino archrival, enjoys a ?solid fan base? among Mexican Americans.
The promoter also said that Cotto commands a strong following among Puerto Ricans in the United States, especially in New York, and in Cotto?s native Puerto Rico.
?We expect to make a decision by the end of this week,? Arum said on Pacquiao November opponent, adding that Top Rank is already planning to begin the press tour for the fight the day after Labor Day, which falls on September 3.
On the prospects of Pacquiao vs. Mayweather, Arum said there have been preliminary discussions between representatives of Pacquiao and Mayweather and that the results have been encouraging.
The promoter said he is not involved in the negotiations.
Sports Illustrated last week quoted Mayweather as saying, ?Pacquiao is an unbelievable boxer. Hopefully, we can make the fight happen in the future.?
That rare compliment by the trash-talking Mayweather and the reported arbitration to settle Pacquiao?s defamation lawsuit against the undefeated American boxer are positive signs that the Pacquiao-Mayweather super fight would finally push through.
Arum even mentioned April 20, a Saturday, as a possible date for the match-up that could earn Pacquiao and Mayweather at least $50 million each in what would be the richest fight in boxing history.
Arum also said the involvement of Mayweather?s associate Curtis ?50 Cent? Jackson in packaging the mega fight in his capacity as head of the newly formed TMT [The Money Team] Promotions is a positive sign toward Mayweather vs. Pacquiao.
