By Dan Ambrose: Manny Pacquiao’s next fight will be determined with the help of his promoter Bob Arum starting next month in January. The list of possible opponents are as follows: Miguel Cotto, Timothy Bradley and Juan Manuel Marquez. Pacquiao reportedly is leaning in the direction of fighting Timothy Bradley next rather than fighting rematches against Marque and Cotto.

Pacquiao has already fought Cotto and Marquez, and that could be his reasoning for not opting to fight them next. Bradley was recently signed by Top Rank, and that put him in a better position than other non-Top Rank fighters like Marquez. Bradley may not be as appealing as some of the other fighters that Pacquiao has fought in the past but he is still unbeaten and he could give the Filipino problems if Bradley can smother him the same way he did against Devon Alexander and Joel Casamayor.

Pacquiao didn’t look like the same fighter he once was in his last fight against Marquez last month. He complained of leg cramps but this has become a habitual problem for Pacquiao that could be tied into the aging effect. If he suffers the same leg cramps against Bradley we could see a new WBO champion. Pacquiao lucked out this last time against Marquez but he might not get lucky a second time.

Cotto would likely be the best choice but he was beaten so decisively by Pacquiao two years ago to where neither Pacquiao nor his trainer Freddie Roach are interested in facing Cotto again. Arum would like to make the fight due to the money that can be brought in on pay per view, but it’s not a fight that Roach or Pacquiao like. Arum may have to really twist Pacquiao’s arm to get him to fight Cotto again.

I think in the end Pacquiao may cave in under pressure from Arum to fight the guy he wants him to. That could be Cotto, because he’s the bigger fight compared to Bradley-Pacquiao.