Manny Pacquiao to fight — well, someone — on April 16

Manny Pacquiao will next fight April 16 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the boxer’s promoter announced Wednesday, with an important asterisk attached.

Promoter Bob Arum said that if Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his representatives fail in the coming weeks to express interest in arranging a super-fight with Pacquiao, then Pacquiao will decide if he wants to fight Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley or Andre Berto.

Arum, Pacquiao and trainer Freddie Roach will discuss the subject when they gather in the Philippines for Pacquiao’s 32nd birthday party Dec. 17. Pacquiao will have the final say, according to Arum.

The promoter wants Mosley for the name recognition. The Pomona fighter was dominated by Mayweather in a unanimous decision in May, then looked all of his 39 years in a draw against Sergio Mora in September. Berto is an unbeaten welterweight champion, but he attracts few fans.

Marquez has given Pacquiao two compelling fights — a 2004 draw and 2008 split decision — and rebounded from a cash-grab loss to the far heavier Mayweather to twice defend his lightweight belt, getting off the canvas to defeat Michael Katsidis by ninth-round technical knockout Saturday.

The problem is that Arum and Marquez promoter Richard Schaefer are in a nasty dispute. A lawsuit exists between them, Arum said he won’t talk to Schaefer and they’ve twice failed to make Pacquiao-Mayweather.

Schaefer, who has promoted all of Mayweather’s fights since 2007, has said respecting the legal process that the boxer is going through in Nevada is his chief concern, not accommodating Pacquiao’s schedule. Mayweather, who is accused of hitting the mother of his children and threatening the kids, is next scheduled to be in court Jan. 24.

“Only an idiot would say I don’t want to antagonize the judge — you’re in Nevada, where judges are elected,” Arum said. “If you’re a judge who says no to a fight that will bring $500 million to the community, they wouldn’t let that guy on the ballot again.”

lance.pugmire@latimes.com

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