By Peter Wells: Manny Pacquiao had plenty of options for his next fight, such as Paul Williams, Andre Berto and Timothy Bradley, which would have all been very intriguing fights for hardcore boxing fans. But Bob Arum only had two fighters on his mind – Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto – both promoted in Arum’s Top Rank stable. These were the only fighters Bob mentioned putting fights together with Pacquiao.

Miguel Cotto has already been destroyed by Pacquiao, last November, but the Puerto Rican is now the WBA Light Middleweight champion and Bob wants Manny to win a title in an eighth different weight class.

Arum though preferred a fighter who Pacquiao hadn’t yet fought, Antonio Margarito was chosen. Antonio as you all know is still looking to get his boxing licence renewed in most American States after being caught with a plaster-like substance on his hand wraps in January 2009 before his one-sided defeat to Shane Mosley. Margarito has since fought once, looking poor in his victory at 154lbs against Roberto Garcia. What’s made fans even angrier is that this is for the WBC Light Middleweight title, how have these fighters got the shot at the title, when Pacquiao has never fought above 145lbs and Margarito isn’t really deserving a big fight let alone a title shot.

For Arum it’s easy money, and if the Pacquiao-Floyd fight fails next year he’ll put together Pacquiao-Cotto II, so he isn’t expecting Margarito to beat Manny with that type of talk. Plus Manny’s last two opponents – Miguel Cotto and then Joshua Clottey – are also both promoted by Arum.

Well Pacquiao isn’t the only one only fighting fighters in the same stable, Miguel Cotto was looking like he could have been heading for a fight with Andre Berto, but talks have been cut off and now Arum wants to set up Cotto-Vanes Martirosyan, who is also promoted by Bob Arum.