Manny Pacquiao’s promoter to visit boxer in Philippines on Sunday
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As his ideal opponent, Floyd Mayweather Jr., prepares to start serving a maximum 90-day jail sentence Friday in Nevada, Manny Pacquiao will be visited by his veteran promoter, Bob Arum, on Sunday in the Philippines to chart their next career step.
Arum told The Times on Wednesday that he believes Pacquiao, coming off a disappointing unanimous decision victory over Juan Manuel Marquez in November, will want to fight in the late spring rather than wait for a summer date against Mayweather.
If that emerges as the plan during conversations in the Philippines, Arum said Pacquiao will likely choose from Marquez, unbeaten junior-welterweight champion Timothy Bradley of Cathedral City, new junior-welterweight champion Lamont Peterson or super-welterweight champion Miguel Cotto.
Peterson, whom Arum formerly promoted, is seen as the longshot.
Cotto lost to Pacquiao by 12th-round technical knockout in 2009, but looked strong in his Dec. 3 TKO of Antonio Margarito in New York.
Bradley may lack the name recognition to appeal to Pacquiao, but he and his manager express supreme confidence Bradley can build upon Marquez’s impressive effort against the frustrated Pacquiao and beat him with sharp boxing and more energy than the 38-year-old Marquez displayed.
And there have been rumblings in the industry that Marquez is asking for too much money for a fourth fight that Arum promised to immediately explore after their November bout.
Arum said he does not believe Mayweather has a hold on the popular May 5 date at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and Arum said that city is the bout’s logical destination.
The unbeaten Mayweather last month accepted a plea deal that had felony domestic violence charges reduced to misdemeanors, sending him to Clark County (Nev.) jail Friday. A court official said that, with good behavior, Mayweather may be able to emerge from behind bars during the second week in March, not enough time to promote and train for a May bout.
Arum has said the bout, previously so fraught with problematic negotiating points, is still possible for later this year.
Officials close to Mayweather did not immediately return phone calls left by The Times on Wednesday.
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--Lance Pugmire