WASHINGTON, D.C.: Boxing promoter Bob Arum remains hopeful that his prized fighter Manny ?PacMan? Pacquiao would fight either Juan Manuel Marquez or Miguel Cotto in November or December.
?Manny is considering the ramifications of his next fight from the point of view of economics and appeal to the boxing fans,? Arum told The Manila Times on Wednesday night by phone from Las Vegas.
?Manny is a smart guy, he knows what?s best for him and I think he?ll announce his decision before the week is over,? Arum said. ?I?m waiting and I hope we could get this [decision making] over with and promote the fight.?
Asked if he is pushing for any particular opponent for Pacquiao, Arum explained that his job as promoter is to give PacMan options, adding that it all boils down to his boxer?s choice.
Arum said that he is presenting Pacquiao with three alternatives, namely, a fourth scrap with four-division Mexican world champion Juan Manuel Marquez, a rematch with Puerto Rican boxing star Miguel Cotto, or a rematch with Timothy Bradley who scored a shocking split decision over Pacquiao in their June fight that many believe Pacquiao won convincingly.
There are indications that Pacquiao is disinterested on a Bradley rematch because problems promoting a second fight with a foe that generated a dismal 700,000 pay-per-view buys in the June fight, the worst PPV performance among Pacquiao last four fights.
Promoter Fernando Beltran of Zanfer Promotions told BoxingScene.com that there are continuing negotiations on a fourth Pacquiao-Marquez fight, possibly on December 1 or 8 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Beltran was quoted by Boxing Scene?s Jose Luis Camarillo as saying that a fourth Pacquiao-Marquez matchup is ?very close to materializing.?
If Marquez fails to land Pacquiao, Beltran said that they might consider Marquez fighting World Boxing Organization welterweight titlist Bradley on November 10.
?We are first in line [to fight Pacquiao], without any doubt. [But] Juan Manuel and I do not depend on Pacquiao. We have various options; one of them is Tim Bradley, but yes [I think] the fight with Pacquiao will [happen]. We just need to get all of the conditions in writing,? Beltran said.
Arum, who promotes both Marquez and Bradley, told Ring.TV.com?s Lem Satterfield that in the event that Pacquiao decides to fight Cotto, then Marquez vs. Bradley becomes a ?logical? scenario.
?If it?s Cotto vs. Pacquiao, then Bradley and Marquez will fight each other,? Arum said. ?That is correct. That?s not wrong. That?s logical, and the fighters have agreed to that.?
Since losing by a 12th-round technical knockout to Pacquiao in November 2010, Cotto has scored three consecutive three consecutive knockout wins, including a 10th-round TKO of Antonio Margarito in December.
Cotto was impressive in a competitive unanimous decision loss in May to five-division champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. who now holds the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association light middleweight titles.
Boxing analysts believe that another convincing Pacquiao win over Cotto could generate greater interest on a blockbuster mega fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather sometime in April or May.
Arum said that he is in touch with Team Cotto and expects word from his former Puerto Rican ward by Friday.
Arum, who said that he is in constant communication with Pacquiao, added that Pacquiao-Cotto on December 1 at the historic Madison Square Garden, where the Puerto Rican star commands tremendous following, would be a ?huge event.?
Of course, he added, Pacquiao also enjoys a solid fan base among the large ethnic Filipino population in New York, New Jersey and nearby states.
