SALUD: PACQUIAO'S NEXT OPPONENT STILL UP IN THE AIR!
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 21 Nov 2007
CEBU CITY -- Manny Pacquiao's close friend and confidant Rex "Wakee" Salud belied reports that Team Pacquiao has already picked WBC lightweight champ David Diaz as Pacquiao's next opponent.
"That's not true! Manny hasn't picked an opponent yet!," Salud told PhilBoxing.com over the phone when asked to confirm the reports. "We still have to meet Arum this week in Las Vegas and discuss the purses and other details and only then we will decide."
Top Rank president and Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum was earlier reported to have scheduled a Thanksgiving dinner for Pacquiao at his residence in Las Vegas this week to discuss and decide on who will be Pacquiao's next opponent.
Salud also said they are yet to finalize when they are leaving for the US as Pacquiao has yet to finish shooting his movie.
After last weekend's dominant but unimpressive win by Joan Guzman over Humberto Soto, only two aspirants appeared to be still in the running of who will be Pacquiao's next ooponent, WBC junior lightweight champ Juan Manuel Marquez and WBC lightweight champ David Diaz.
Marquez was the runaway choice by boxing fans as Pacquiao's next opponent oweing to the duo's classic fight which resulted in a controversial draw in 2004. Lightweight champ David Diaz however got into the front seat when Diaz barely won over Erik Morales whom Pacquiao defeated twice and with Pacquiao's desire to move into the heavier 135 lb division.
In the end, it will be the "dollars and cents" that will tip the scale in favor to the chosen aspirant. "We will discuss the purses and the fight that will make more money for Manny will be it," Salud stressed.
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