By Chris Williams: Michael Koncz, the adviser for Manny Pacquiao, pretty much made it clear that 39-year-old Shane Mosley will be Pacquiao’s next opponent on April 16th next year at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum is supposed to be weighing the options for Pacquiao to face one of three possible opponents: Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez and Andre Berto. However, it looks as if it’s going to be the struggling Mosley who gets the next shot against Pacquiao.

In an article by writer Nick Giongco at the Manila Bulletin – mb.com.ph, Koncz said “[Floyd] Mayweather needed all 12 rounds to beat Mosley, and I believe Manny’s going to do something to Mosley that Mayweather and the rest didn’t do when they fought Mosley. Manny’s going to become the first fighter to stop Mosley. The danger will be the first three rounds with Mosley and after that, Manny’s got him all figured out.”

Gee, Koncz makes it sound as if Pacquiao is a scientist. I guess Sergio Mora must be one as well, because he did a number on Mosley in their last fight in September but had to settle for a 12 round draw. I saw the fight and had Mora winning by four rounds. Before that, Mosley was schooled by Mayweather in a lopsided 12 round decision loss in May. Why is a fighter that’s clearly struggling as Mosley is right now being pushed for Pacquiao’s next fight? Is this what you call cherry picking at it’s finest? Why isn’t Pacquiao being matched against Sergio Martinez? He is, after all, smaller than Pacquiao’s last opponent Antonio Margarito, who Pacquiao beat in a catch weight fight last month for the vacant WBC junior middleweight title, even though Margarito isn’t a junior middleweight.

It’s pretty clear that Martinez is considered too dangerous for Pacquiao, because he actually can fight and he doesn’t just stand there and take shots like Margarito. He’d be pure hell for Pacquiao, which is a good reason why he’s probably not being picked and why he never will be. But I’d settle for Juan Manuel Marquez, who is still looking good. However, Arum seems reluctant to match Pacquiao up with him for some reason. And Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach has said that if they did fight, the bout would take place at 147 without a catch weight for Marquez.

Given that Pacquiao has been able to fight for two titles in the past year using catch weights and was able to get Oscar De La Hoya to come down one full weight division to fight at 147, it doesn’t seem generous to not be willing to fight Marquez at a catch weight. I mean if it’s good enough for Pacquiao, then why not for Marquez? Whatever the case, it won’t be Marquez anyway. It looks like Koncz has spilled the beans with his description of what he thinks Pacquiao will do against Mosley. I frankly hate the choice. Mosley is badly fading and the last thing boxing fans need to see is Pacquiao beating up on another fading and/or struggling figther after the Margarito mismatch.