By Robert Morales
As previously reported on BoxingScene.com, Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum is flying out next week to the Philippines for a meeting with WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao. The two of them plan to discuss Pacquiao's options for his next fight. The four options include - Juan Manuel Marquez, Timothy Bradley, Miguel Cotto and Lamont Peterson.
Of course, the best fight for Pacquiao would be one with Floyd Mayweather Jr. But he's going to jail Friday for at least two months, perhaps three if he doesn't get time knocked off for good behavior. Last month Mayweather was sentenced to 90 days in the Clark County Detention Center, after pleading guilty to a charge of domestic abuse.
If Mayweather were to get out in early March after just two months, he could conceivably fight in June. But as a reporter from BoxingScene.com began to ask Arum about perhaps waiting for Mayweather instead of fighting one of the aforementioned four, he cut the reporter off at the pass.
"It's not an option," Arum said. "Manny is going to fight in May or June and if Floyd is available and Manny is successful, we'll fight Floyd in November. We are not going to operate Manny's career on what if, what if, what if. That doesn't make any business sense."