Mayweather vs Mosley
By NICK GIONGCO
March 19, 2010, 5:47pm
If indeed Manny Pacquiao’s next fight will be held in November, it would be the longest time that the Filipino star will be away from his ring duties.
Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum told the Bulletin Fruday from his Las Vegas home that the earliest Pacquiao will be seen by his fans wearing a pair of gloves and stripped from the waist up will be in November – not October – as what had been previously thought about.
“It won’t be in October because of the World Series (of Major League Ball) but November,” said Arum.
Pacquiao is coming off a lopsided win over Joshua Clottey in Dallas, Texas, and will be out of the ring for the next eight months.
Arum is willing to wait that long because Pacquiao has a tougher assignment in less than two months albeit outside the ring.
Pacquiao is running for a congressional seat in Sarangani province and Arum said he would only be able to say something concrete after the May 10 elections.
In the event Arum and Pacquiao both agree that the next fight to be made should be in November, that would leave Pacquiao inactive for eight months.
Ever since he turned professional in the mid-1990s, Pacquiao has made it a point to fight regularly.
In the last few years, Pacquiao has fought an average of three fights a year and the longest time he was inactive was in between the May 2004 split draw with Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico and the December 2004 knockout win over Fahsang 3k Battery of Thailand.
As to the name of the opponent that Pacquiao will face in November, Arum and another key member of Pacquiao’s party, trainer Freddie Roach, are both on the same page although they slightly differ when it comes to who should be prioritized.
"There’s (Antonio) Margarito, (Edwin) Valero, or (Juan Manuel) Marquez,” said Arum.
Roach also mentioned the same names but in different order.
“Valero, Marquez, or Margarito,” said the celebrated corner man.
Source: mb.com.ph
