BOBBY PACQUIAO FIGHTS TODAY VS HUMBERTO SOTO
Result to Determine Manny's Next Opponnent
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 10 Jun 2007
BobPac (R) and Soto at LA presscon.
Bobby Pacquiao, who had been lurking in the shadows of his more illustrious brother Manny, will fight today in New York against Mexican Humberto Soto who is apparently groomed by Bob Arum to be Manny Pacquiao's next opponent.
Bobby Pacquiao (27-12-3 12KOs) was coming off a loss against Hector Velazquez last November and had been given little chance by experts to beat Soto (41-5-2 25KOs). Soto, who is a relatively unknown fighter to the mainstream boxing fans, has been touted as Mexico's best kept secret. Soto had not lost a fight in the last 5 years compiling an 18-0 record with 13 stoppages and 1 no contest in that time span.
Experts said that Soto, who is promoted by Bob Arum, is one boxer who could give superstar Manny Pacquiao a run for his money and a fight with Soto for Pacquiao is more risky than a fight with Marquez, Barrera, Guzman and Valero.
If Soto wins today against Bobby, he would most likely secure a date with the Filipino firebrand on October 6 in Vancouver as Top Rank is hard-pressed to find a suitable opponent for Manny because of its ongoing legal battle with Golden Boy Promotions.
Golden Boy holds under contract the big names of the division -- Marquez, Barrera and Guzman -- that will make multi-million dollar megafights against Pacquiao. Until Top Rank and Golden Boy settle their differences, a Pacquiao fight against these names will always be difficult to make.
Thus a Manny Pacquiao-Humberto Soto duel will most likely take place next -- that is if everything happens according to the script.
But enter Bobby Pacquiao. If the Soto factor was a big question mark in Pacquiao's next fight, predicting the result of a Bobby Pacquiao fight is a double big question mark. Ever since Bobby barged into the U.S. boxing scene two years ago, boxing fans were confounded again and again by Bobby's big wins against opponents he had been given little chance to pull an upset off.
Bobby's last victim was the comebacking former world champion Kevin Kelly who incidentally was the fighter who last beat Humberto Soto five years ago. Bobby knocked out Kelly in the 4th round at the Madison Square Garden in New York last year, the very same venue where he battles Soto today.
So if you'd like to predict the outcome of today's fight -- and if effect Manny Pacquiao's next opponent -- your guess is as good as mine.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Dong Secuya.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
JV Tuazon, Ador Torres, Lemuel De Barbo, Jomar Fajardo Make Weight for Brico Santig's Highland Show in Thailand
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 11 Jul 2025Philippine Under-12 Girls Team Shines Bright, Clinches Multiple Medals at 23rd ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships in Penang
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 11 Jul 2025Kenneth “Llover Boy” Takes on “El Nica” Concepcion Aug 17 on Gerry Peñalosa’s Show @ the Winford Resort and Casino Manila (Analysis)
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 11 Jul 2025Undefeated junior middleweight prospect Anthony Velazquez won’t be Boxing’s best kept secret in 2026
Fri, 11 Jul 2025Undefeated Gabriela Tellez Returns July 18 at “Night of Champions” Live on DAZN
Fri, 11 Jul 2025Dushanbe hosts stacked fight card with Bakhodur Usmonov and Christopher Mouafo headlining IBA.Pro 8
Fri, 11 Jul 2025Shakur vs Zepeda & Morrell vs Khataev Fight Analysis
By Ralph Rimpell, Thu, 10 Jul 2025Peñalosa To Test "Lover Boy" Llover Versus Accomplished Panamanian Veteran Concepcion
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Thu, 10 Jul 2025USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team Begins Brandenburg Cup Prep Camp
Thu, 10 Jul 2025Dream Fight: “Bam” Rodriguez vs “Puma” Martinez on the Horizon
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 10 Jul 2025Perez vs Vivas Headlines All Star Boxing's Prueba de Fuego Card on July 25
Thu, 10 Jul 2025Christy Martin Promotions & Ringside Ticket Inc. Present ‘Lopez Vs. Vargas’ Welterweight Battle
Thu, 10 Jul 2025Vegas Fight Experience Where Authentic Sparring Meets Cinematic Vegas Energy
Thu, 10 Jul 20254 Division World Champion & Hall of Famer Erik Morales Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 13, in Las Vegas
Thu, 10 Jul 2025SALITA PROMOTIONS SIGNS FORMER WORLD CHAMPION TONY HARRISON
Thu, 10 Jul 2025