Will Pacquiao vs. Cotto be good enough to appease fans? – Boxing News
Former WBO welterweight titlist Manny Pacquiao’s long awaited fight against the current WBC welterweight titlist is nowhere near. Although both the camps claim they are ready for the showdown, no dialogues have taken place as of yet.
Surprisingly, Top Rank’s Bob Arum has devised a better proposition for fans who are hungry for the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight. According to Bob Arum, if not Mayweather, then probably a rematch against Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico will be a spine-chilling
event for fans. Considering Mayweather’s recent jail release, Bob Arum believes the unbeaten American will not be able to prepare for a fight against Pacquiao, who is scheduled for a fight on November 10.
Last week, Arum flew to the Philippines to have a word with the Pac-man, to finally decide as to whom he wants to face this November. Arum is currently insisting for a possible rematch between Pacquiao and Cotto or a fourth fight between Pacquiao and Juan
Manuel Marquez of Mexico, but he knows Pacquiao is more inclined towards a rematch against the current WBO welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley.
When asked about the choices of opponents Pacquiao has, Arum revealed, “Cotto brings with him a huge fan base from Puerto Rico and Marquez also has a big fan base with the Hispanics fans.”
He compared Marquez’s last fight against Pacquiao to that of Bradley this year, saying, “Marquez did 400,000 buys more than Bradley. That fight did a little better than 900,000, so I have to consider that. And Marquez is very anxious for the fight, too.
With Bradley, the general sports fan, at least anecdotally, wants them to have a rematch. People I go out to dinner with or people I visit with, they all talk about the rematch with Bradley, not a fourth fight with Marquez -- but they aren't Hispanics. The
Hispanic fans are the ones who want the fourth fight with Marquez.”
It should be noted here that Marquez’s camp has been pestering Pacquiao for a fourth fight but the Filipino all their proposals to date. According to Pacquiao, he has fought Marquez thrice and has proved his point again and again.
Pacquiao is already on the verge of retirement and all he wants to do now is to face Floyd Mayweather to fulfil the promise he made with his son. On the other hand, Pacquiao also has to fulfil the promise he made to his fans, which was to bring the WBO title
home after losing it to Timothy Bradley on June 9 at the MGM Grand via controversial split decision loss.
As of now, all indicators suggest that Pacquiao will go for a rematch against Bradley. He is not keen towards fighting Cotto or Marquez again. In a meeting held between Pacquiao and Arum last month, the Filipino demanded a fight against Mayweather but the
Hall of Famer declined his request saying Mayweather is in jail and in his absence, no one can assure them of a fight.
Unfortunately, Mayweather was released from jail earlier than expected, leaving the room for a fight between him and Pacquiao more likely. However, Arum is still insisting on Pacquiao to opt for either Cotto or Marquez instead of Bradley. He is hoping that
he is able to make the Mayweather fight in time but has no plans of proceeding with it right now.
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