Pacquiao could fight Cotto or Margarito in Mexico or the Middle East – News

By Boxing News - 07/13/2010 - Comments

By Eric Thomas: The hopes of seeing a mega fight between World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. appear to be dying as the mid-July deadline approaches for Mayweather to say whether he’ll agree to the contract for the November 13th fight. Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, gave Mayweather a deadline of around the middle of July to speak up and whether he’ll take the fight. It doesn’t look he will, though, as Mayweather hasn’t said a word.

Perhaps Arum knew Mayweather wouldn’t agree to the fight, which could be why he decided to make the deadline public rather keeping it to himself. Nevertheless, Arum will now look to match Pacquiao up with either Antonio Margarito or Miguel Cotto next. Arum promotes both of those fighters, and could possibly take the fights to either Monterrey, Mexico or the Middle East, according to Nick Giongco of the Manila Bulletin – Mb.com.ph.

Margarito doesn’t have a boxing license to fight in the United States, and was recently turned down by the Nevada Athletic Commission when he attempted to get his license back last week. Arum would like to match Margarito up with Pacquiao, but to do that he’ll have to take the fight outside of the U.S. to do so. It’s obviously not a great option, but since it may be the only option that Arum has, short of applying to the California Athletic Commission, this is what Arum might have to do if he wants to pit Margarito against Pacquiao.

Arum would still like have Pacquiao fight Mayweather, and will be looking to make the fight happen next year in May. However, Arum could be wasting his time unless he gives Mayweather exactly what he wants. If Mayweather still doesn’t agree to the contract that Arum puts together with Golden Boy Promotions, then Pacquiao will again be looking to fight either Margarito or Cotto. Whichever fighter doesn’t get chosen from the last fight will likely get a shot at Pacquiao this time.

It’s unfortunate that there isn’t another fighter that Arum could put Pacquiao in with because the thought of Pacquiao fighting Margarito and Cotto isn’t exactly appealing to many boxing fans, who saw the previous fight between Pacquiao and Cotto as a one-sided slaughter with Cotto getting pounded for 12 rounds. And Margarito hasn’t looked good in his last two fights and some people think he’s not the same fighter he once was.



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