The word is that Mayweather’s legal troubles will keep him out of making a fight with Manny Pacquiao in the spring of 2011.
With that said, Pacman wants to keep busy and the money rolling in, so Bob Arum has three opponents in mind:
Arum said that with Floyd Mayweather Jr. out of the picture due to his legal problems, Pacquiao’s next fight will take place April 16, likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, against one of three opponents: Shane Mosley, welterweight titlist Andre Berto or lightweight champ Juan Manuel Marquez, who is 0-1-1 in two sensational fights with Pacquiao that could have gone either way.
Before Arum leaves for the Philippines he said he will get proposals from all three and then discuss them with Pacquiao and let him make a decision, although Arum said the contract weight will be 147 pounds with no room for any discussion.
“I will have all three proposals and I will sit with Manny in the Philippines when I’m there for his birthday and let him decide who he wants to fight,” Arum told ESPN.com. “We’ll go over everything because each fight has a different set of financial parameters. It’s Manny’s career, it’s his life and he’ll decide. Will I make a recommendation? Sure, but all it will be is a recommendation, and Freddie will have some input. I certainly don’t act as a dictator.”
Even though Mosley would probably generate the most money, I don’t think anyone wants to see him get beat up by Pacquaio.
Berto is the most dangerous and brings in the least amount of money, so I doubt they take that option.
Which leaves Marquez, who is the last fighter to give Pacquiao any problems.
I think he ends up getting the fight, but since it will be at 147, I can’t see him being as effective like he was in their previous fights which were at 135 and where Marquez is most comfortable.
Honestly, any options that don’t include Floyd Mayweather gets a yawn at this point and it is looking more and more like it will never happen.