PACQUIAO LOOKING AT A POSSIBLE FIGHT WITH 'CANELO' ALVAREZ
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 30 May 2014
MACAU -- "Fighter of the Decade" Manny Pacquiao's adviser Michael Koncz says Pacquiao is looking at a possible fight
against the extremely popular young Mexican fighter Saul "Canelo" Alvarez next year provided they can come to terms on
an acceptable catchweight like they did when Pacquiao fought Miguel Cotto.
Koncz told the Manila Standard "it will be a substitute for a fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr and will be the next biggest fight and may very well rival a Manny-Floyd fight."
He pointed out that Alvarez "is a good fighter, he's young and is the top Mexican fighter and has a big fan base in America" which would certainly make it a lucrative fight with huge pay-per-view numbers.
When Alvarez fought Floyd Mayweather Jr it was the Mexican who drew the crowds during the press tour in various cities and was
the fighter who fueled the PPV buys, not Mayweather although the undefeated pound for pound king won a comfortable unanimous twelve round majority decision with judge Cynthia Ross inexplicably scoring the fight a draw.
Koncz told us that he needs to get Manny's approval on the catchweight for "a fight we'll probably do next year" even as he stressed "we cannot go into the ring if there is no catchweight. It's too dangerous. We are not trying to get any advantage but just trying to protect the health of Manny."
He said "if Canelo is willing to come to a reasonable cathcweight then it a fight we can entertain."
The author (L) interviews Michael Koncz Thursday at the Venetian in Macau.
For the present, Koncz and Top Rank promoter Bob Arum are discussing Pacquiao's next fight scheduled for November 23 here in Macau but Koncz said Pacquiao would like to bring the fight date forward to sometime in September.
Koncz said Pacquiao and his family plan to take a vacation to Israel and England in the second week of June and a "final decision will have to wait until he returns from his family vacation."
During his Macau visit, Koncz said he would sit down with Arum but "there won't be any decision. I will go and report to Manny on Monday on he options." He said Arum "has made comments to the media about a fifth fight with Juan Manuel Marquez and Amir Khan Jr."
He said "in the past Arum has never pushed anybody on us. He has given us three or four options and then Manny makes the ultimate decision on what he wants to do."
The longtime adviser said he is "not so inclined to do a Marquez fight because I don't think the economics will be right. Marquez will expect close to $10 million and I don't think he should be paid more than $5 million. The fight, if it ever happens, should be in America for the pay-per-view."
Koncz reiterated what he told the Manila Standard some time ago and that is that random drug tests by VADA would be "absolutely necessary." He emphasized "I am not making any allegations but for Pacquiao's last two fights (against Brandon Rios and Timothy Bradley) we initiated the drug testing and we'll continue to do that no matter who the opponent is."
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