By Chris Williams: Although WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KO’s) still hasn’t revealed who he’ll be fighting next in late May or early June, it’s thought Pacquiao has selected a rematch against WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (37-2, 30 KO’s) instead of a much more desired fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. that boxing fans want to see.

If Cotto is to get the fight, he’ll have to take it without the benefit of a catchweight that would help him. Pacquiao reportedly is saying he won’t fight above 147lbs any longer, which means that Cotto will have to come down from 154lbs to fight Pacquiao at his weight.

The last time Cotto and Pacquiao fought, Cotto fought Pacquiao at a 145lb catchweight insisted upon by Pacquiao and his team. Cotto was against the catchweight handicap for Pacquiao but had little choice but to agree to it if he wanted the fight. It’s disappointing that Pacquiao won’t be returning the favor to let Cotto have a catchweight handicap now that he’s been fighting at 154 since 2010.

Pacquiao told the Manila Standard “It’s hard for me to fight at a higher weight class.”

The Cotto-Pacquiao fight still hasn’t been confirmed is basically something that was mentioned by Pacquiao’s wife Jinkee. For all we know, Pacquiao could be facing Timothy Bradley or Lamont Peterson. I kind of doubt that Floyd Mayweather Jr. will get selected because he’s fighting too well right now and isn’t showing signs of fading.

Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum has been a wily fox for the most part in hand-picking Pacquiao’s opponents skillfully for the past three years, facing guys that were at times on the downsides of their careers. Mayweather may not be quite what he was in 2006, but he’s still likely far too good for the Filipino fighter.