Manny Pacquiao is in the process of making a difficult decision.
The Filipino superstar met with promoter Bob Arum last week in the Philippines to discuss potential opponents for his Nov. 10 fight, but Pacquiao appears torn. He has narrowed it down to two options, but there?s only one opponent Pacquiao should fight next.
Juan Manuel Marquez deserves a fourth fight against Pacquiao much more than Timothy Bradley deserves a second shot.
Mexico?s Marquez might?ve done enough to beat Pacquiao nine months ago at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. But Marquez (54-6-1, 39 KOs) was forced to settle for another narrow loss to Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs), a majority decision that created controversy.
That makes Marquez 0-2-1 against his nemesis since May 2004. There are a noteworthy number of fans and media who believe he should be 3-0.
Marquez might be more concerned with another number as he awaits Pacquiao?s pick. The cerebral counterpuncher will turn 39 on Thursday and might not have much more elite-level boxing left in him.
Bradley (29-0, 12 KOs, one NC) will turn 29 a week from today, but that?s not the only numeric reason the unbeaten fighter from Palm Beach, Calif., should be forced to wait for a second fight against Pacquiao, 33. The 115-113 scores submitted by judges Duane Ford and C.J. Ross after the Pacquiao-Bradley bout are so far from what actually occurred in the ring, there?s no real reason to deem their assessments legitimate.
Ford can talk all he wants to HBO with his stubborn justification for how we all missed what he saw from ringside. Maybe there?s some truth to the theory that the fight actually was closer than 117-111 for Pacquiao, which was how many of us had it.
But Bradley did not do nearly enough to justify scoring him the winner of five rounds, let alone seven.
That?s what makes an immediate rematch with Bradley a tougher sell than Pacquiao-Marquez IV, a fun fight fans won?t mind paying extra to watch. His handlers have made Pacquiao painfully aware that he?ll make significantly less money against Bradley than Marquez because the demand is lower.
