Pacquiao Selects Next Opponent, Arum Quiet on Decision
The Philippine Star reports that WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao has selected his next opponent – if a deal can’t be reached with Floyd Mayweather Jr. Pacquiao and his promoter, Top Rank’s CEO Bob Arum, sat down yesterday and the veteran promoter saidthe meeting took 30 minutes. There were four choices on the table – WBA/WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez, WBA 154-pound champion Miguel Cotto, WBO junior welterweight champion Tim Bradley and IBF/WBA 140-pound champion Lamont Peterson. Arum would not disclose the name of the opponent.
“We got everything done in 30 minutes,” Arum said. “Yes, he has made the choice. But I’m not gonna talk about it. Now I’m going back and let’s see if we can make what Manny wants to happen. We need to be sure everything is secure and that things are done the way they should be done.”
Arum said Pacquiao is going to fight in the last week of May or the first week of June. If it’s not against Mayweather, then it will be against the opponent he picked.
“Don’t say that,” Arum told a Filipino reporter when asked if Mayweather is out of the picture.
Pacquiao’s adviser, Michael Koncz, expects Pacquiao to make his announcement by the end of next week.