By Jason Kim: There is confusion about who Manny Pacquiao should face next among his team members, according to reports. Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum likes the idea of Pacquiao facing 39-year-old Shane Mosley next. Pacquiao’s close adviser Mike Koncz also likes Mosley as Pacquiao’s next opponent. However, Alex Ariza, Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach, trainer Freddie Roach, like Juan Manuel Marquez as Pacquiao’s next opponent. Roach would like for Pacquiao to clear up the mess from his two prior fights with Marquez, neither of which proved to have a clear cut winner.

Pacquiao and Marquez fought to a 12 round draw in 2004, and then Pacquiao won a controversial 12 round split decision over Marquez in their rematch in 2008. Instead of facing him for a third time to try and immediately prove who the better fighter is, Pacquiao was steered in a different direction to start collecting more titles against the likes of David Diaz, Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito.

There are some boxing fans who feel that Pacquiao is avoiding a third fight with Marquez because the Mexican fighter does well against his style and appears to have his number. Roach recently said that if Pacquiao fights Marquez, the fight would be taking place at 147 rather than a weight that Marquez would be able to make without being slowed down. This in turn has caused some people to wonder whether Roach feels that Pacquiao needs for Marquez to be slowed down in order for him to beat him conclusively this time.

Marquez fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. last year at 143, and he looked slow and fat at that weight. It was clearly too much weight for the 5’7″ Marquez to carry on his small frame. By saying that he wants Marquez to fight Pacquiao at 147 rather than 140 or a catch-weight, it seems as if Roach is looking to get an advantage for his fighter Pacquiao in order to better guarantee a win this time.

At the end of the day, it’s likely going to be Arum that decides who Pacquiao will be facing next. He’s the one that makes the decisions, and if Arum wants Mosley, then that’s likely who it will be unless Pacquiao absolutely desires a third fight with Marquez. Given that Pacquiao hasn’t pushed for a third fight with Marquez up to this point, it’s not likely that he’ll all of a sudden start asking for Marquez.