By Michael Marley

Manny Pacquiao has chosen one of three opponents to be in the opposite corner on May 7 at the MGM Grand Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas.

After one sitdown session with Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum in Manila, and second one in Pacquiao's hometown of Gensan, the two meetings running a combined total of about 90 minutes, Arum told me by phone Sunday morning (Manila time) that Pacquiao picked a favorite foe among "Sugar" Shane Mosley, historical rival Juan Manuel Marquez and undefeated WBC welterweight king Andre Berto.

And the winning name is......not be revealed until a later date, says Arum who flies back to Las Vegas with lovely wife Lovee for a Sunday arrival at McCarran International Airport.

"Manny made his pick, he gave me the name," Arum said. "But now I have to go make the best possible economic deal with that opponent. I'm not telling you or anyone else who it is. I will be back in the Top Rank office on Monday and I will go to work to structure the right deal."

As we all know, Mosley was the lead horse in this race as the 39-year-old veteran is a highly marketable pa-per-view name and left Golden Boy Promotions in order to make the fight with Pacquiao. Because of Mosley's decision, the bout with Pacquiao becomes yet another "in house" fight for Arum's company just as Pacquiao's recent encounters with Joshua Clottey, Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito were.

Meanwhile, Golden Boy on behalf of Marquez, have publicly expressed financial flexibility while making a strong assertion that Pacquiao and Arum will earn maximum dollars by delivering the trilogy bout against the slick, 37-year-old countperuncher during Cinco de Mayo weekend in Sin City.

The longshot of longshots is Al Haymon/Lou DiBella connected Berto, and one person close to their situation told me Friday night they believe their "chance is less than zero."

That seems to be a realistic view.

Arum is still laughing about Pacquiao's cash and automobile raffle for his birthday party guests.

"I picked the first winner and it turned out to be Manny's brother, Bobby," Arum said. "So we picked another name."

As far as Pacquiao saying he may only fight three more bouts and then retire, Arum branded the speculation as just that.

"He says three fights, he says three years or two years but who knows?" Arum said. "It depends on how he feels then and it also depends on his political schedule at the time. I don't know and Manny does not know, at least now, the real answer on that."

Arum said he and his wife have a fond memory from this trip of a four hour Manila luncheon with former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos, who sat with Mrs. Arum, trainer Freddie Roach and some other Filipinos to talk and eat in a leisurely manner.

Arum said Imelda, who he met before the "Thrilla In Manila" Ali-Frazier III bout in Manila (1975), spoke more about politics than about boxing.

"Imelda talked about Mao Tse-tung, about (Saddam) Hussein, about Fidel (Castro) and people like that. It was really fascinating to hear her talk about these world leaders."

I mentioned that both Roach and Imelda are rich and single but Arum did not bite on that one.