?Pacquiao will fight this year.? - Pe?alosa
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 29 Aug 2012
Two and-a-half months before his scheduled fight on November 10, Filipino eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao remains undecided whether it will push through and who he will battle next following his disputed spit decision loss to unbeaten American Timothy Bradley last June.
Former two-division titlist and one of Pacquiao?s close allies Gerry Pe?alosa assured though that his pal will be fighting on that date or before the year ends, contrary reports that the former World Boxing Organization kingpin is thinking of foregoing with the November outing and concentrate on luring the fresh-from-prison Floyd Mayweather Jr. to face him in a rich mega-confrontation summer of 2013..
?Lalaban si Manny before the end of the year,? Pe?alosa assured this writer in a telephone interview Tuesday afternoon. ?Ang makakalaban na lang ang di pa sigurado. Namimili pa.?
But if Penalosa is to be believed, the choice as his friend?s next dancing partner inside that square ring had been reduced between Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez and Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto, both of whom Pacquiao had beaten earlier.
Pacquio beat Marquez twice in three meetings, while Cotto was disposed of via a 12th round knockout in a classic 2009 battle, which, incidentally was the Filipino?s last stoppage triumph.
?Si Bradley, and this is based on Manny?s body language lately, could be out of the equation kasi Manny believes he won that controversial bout against Bradley convincingly and, therefore, that doesn?t give the American the right for a rematch,? Pe?alosa explained.
?Besides, despite that, Bradley still remains a poor opponent in terms of economics. Walang pang $1 million buys ang na-generate dun sa laban compared to an average $1 million plus sa mga nakaraang laban ni Manny,? he further contented. ?So, palagay ko yun ng isang dahilan kaya hindi maka-decide kung siya nga ang makakalaban.?
According to the former flyweight ant bantamweight belt-holder, if the choice is Marquez, the November 10 encounter could be at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, which Top Rank?s Bob Arum has already contracted barely days after the June 9 Pacquiao-Bradley fight.
If Pacquiao opts for Cotto, he added, the showdown should be held at on December 1 New York?s Madison Square Garden, a place the Filipino boxing hero hasn?t fought yet. A factor that goes for Cotto, who has a big following in the ?City that never sleeps.?
?Palagay ko yan ang situwasyon as of now although magbabago pa yan depende sa kung ano ang mangyayari sa mga susunod na araw,? Pe?alosa qualified. ?Marami kasing dapat mangyari, kasama na ang eleksyon next year when Manny is running for re-election.?
?In fact, Manny has scheduled a big fellowship meeting with Sarangani local politicians on Saturday in General Santos City where doon malalaman kung ano talaga ang gusto niyang takbuhin congressman o gobernador,? Penalosa disclosed.
The decision as to when will be Pacquio?s next fight and against whom was, for the nth time, was supposed to be known yesterday (Tuesday USA time), but Arum, made to the Los Angeles Times, said he?s ?still waiting to hear? from his ward of nearly a decade. Arum said he remained in "conversations" with possible opposing fighters, including Miguel Cotto, but gave little information beyond that,? the L.A. Times reported.
"I can't go blabbing to the press, who will trust me?" Arum said. "I have no date set, nothing. This is what happens when you're dealing with a politician. Affairs of state come first."
Pacquiao, in a report emanating from his Canadian adviser Michael Koncz last week, was supposed to move his November outing to December, precisely because of his re-election bid. It was later on disputed by Arum who said the November 10 date will push through.
Pacquiao also came with a statement that he is foregoing his traditional Baguio City training camp and will instead spent his eight-week preparations at the Los Angeles? Wild Card Gym owned by chief trainer Freddie Roach.
(The author now writes for the People's Journal and People's Tonight)
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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