By Chris Williams: Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is hoping to match IBF lightweight champion Miguel Vazquez (31-3, 13 KO’s) against his fighter unbeaten lightweight contender Mercito Gesta (26-0-1, 14 KO’s) on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez 4 fight on December 8th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Arum told Philboxing.com “We hope to have Gesta against Vazquez.”

Before that fight can take place, however, the 25-year-old Vazquez has to defend his title against his mandatory challenger Marvin Quintero in October. That’s cutting it close for Vazquez to be taking on a tough opponent like Quintero and then coming back two months later to face Gesta. It might not be possible.

Arum has a back up plan just in case Vazquez can’t take the December 8th fight against Gesta. Arum will then look to put together a fight between Hernan Marquez vs. Brian Viloria in a Mexico vs. the Philippines match-up to go along with the main event between Juan Manuel Marquez from Mexico against the Filipino Pacquiao.

To be honest, I don’t think these kinds of rivalries are necessary. Arum is better off just trying to find some good fighters and put them in with each instead of focusing on country rivalries involving less than huge stars. Arum needs to find someone that resonates with the United States boxing public, and I don’t see Viloria or Hernan Marquez as being guys that casual boxing fans are dying to see.

I don’t think casual boxing fans even know who these are. Arum needs to be focusing on landing some well known fighters, and preferably guys that are evenly matched. Tonight’s Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs. Sergio Martinez has a terrible undercard filled with both mismatches and obscure fighters. Arum should have done better than this, because it’s an awful card once you get past the main event.