LAS VEGAS – Here’s the same old question: who’s next?
This was the biggest question that faced Manny Pacquiao and his promoter, Bob Arum, after the Filipino’s sensational and historic victory over Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand on Saturday evening.
The who, according to Arum, should come first, but as of the moment there’s nothing as clear as the blue Nevada sky as to who gets to face Pacquiao next, and who fights the world’s greatest boxer.
Arum dropped the names of three boxers who may have the chance. Or at least, those who had the chance.
First was Shane Mosley, the reigning WBA welterweight champion, who had practically begged for a fight with Pacquiao before the fight with Cotto was sealed right after Pacquiao demolished Ricky Hatton last May.
Arum said Mosley was close to making the fight with Pacquiao and in fact was being considered a worthy opponent, until he decided to fight undefeated fellow American Andre Berto on Jan. 30 here in Las Vegas.
Arum said he couldn’t imagine what went through Mosley’s mind making the Berto fight, and announcing it the day before the Pacquiao-Cotto fight, when months ago he was crying for a fight with the Pinoy attraction.
“Shane Mosley says nobody wants to fight him and he wants to fight the winner of the Pacquiao-Cotto. Then he signs a contract to fight Berto. He could have been a great opponent. But what the hell was he doing?” said Arum.
“Shane says Pacquiao is ducking him and that’s not the truth. Manny is just ducking him in the sense that he can’t fight two guys in the same night. Manny is open to fight anybody. But I’m not gonna negotiate in the newspapers,” said Arum.
Then came the name everybody was waiting for: Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Arum had said that the undefeated American, whom he used to promote until they had a bitter falling out, can set a fight with Pacquiao if he drops his “delusional” thoughts of getting the bigger share of the purse.
“If he wants the fight he knows whom to call. He hates me and I hate him but it doesn’t really matter. Enough of the trash talk. If they want the fight they know whom to call. Period. Period,” Arum told the press.
“Don’t listen to Floyd Sr. who’s my friend but talks too much and don’t listen to the rest of them,” said Arum, who expects a call from Golden Boy’s Richard Schaefer anytime next week with regards to Mayweather’s stand.
“The world wants to see a (Pacquiao) fight with Mayweather. I want Mayweather. But if Floyd wants 65-35 (in his favor) he won’t get it,” said Roach.
Arum, the great negotiator, then told the hottest trainer in boxing today not to worry because “we’ll not give him that offer.”
Edwin Valero, the sensational knockout artist from Venezuela, was also mentioned and like Mosley, may have shot himself on the foot. But whoever it is, Arum said Pacquiao will fight either in Nevada, Texas or Florida, but never in New York because of heavy taxes.
Arum said Valero, who’s been given the green light to fight in Texas after being banned to fight in any other part of the United States after failing a medical a few years ago, had his US visa cancelled due to drunk driving.
Arum said Valero claimed his visa was cancelled because he had a tattoo of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who is anti-US, on his body.
“He got caught for drunk driving after the Hatton fight and when he came back to the US they wouldn’t give him a visa. To compound the problem the idiot said it’s because he was wearing a Hugo Chavez tattoo on his chest. So, that makes two idiots from Venezuela.”
Arum’s remark drew laughter from the press, and then the Top Rank president said, “I’m 78 years old. I can say whatever I want to say.”