By Rey Danseco
BOBBY Pacquiao may acquire what his superstar brother Manny Pacquiao relinquished.
The younger Pacquiao might get the shot against Marquez for the World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight title if he gets past Humberto Soto in their scheduled 10-round clash on June 9 at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Manny informed WBC president Jose Sulaiman on Wednesday about his decision to find another bout instead of taking the opportunity of facing Marquez and a chance to claim his second WBC world title and third overall.
Soto is currently ranked number three by the WBC behind Manny and Marco Antonio Barrera. The younger Pacquiao is No. 6.
In the general assembly meeting for the WBC 44th annual convention last year, Sulaiman approved the designation of the 12-round rumble between Pacquiao and Erik Morales on November 18 in Las Vegas as a final eliminator to determine the mandatory challenger of then WBC champion, Barrera. Pacquiao won the match via third round knockout.
The WBC said that if Pacquiao won’t accept the fight with the champion, the then No. 2 ranked Soto, Pacquiao’s stablemate under Bob Arum of Top Rank, would become the official challenger.
Marquez dethroned Barrera with unanimous decision on March 17 and acquired the obligation to make the necessary mandatory defense.
After the defeat, Soto was pushed to his current ranking and Barrera was inserted behind Pacquiao, who solidified his position after giving Mexican Jorge Solis his first defeat by stopping on April 14.
Bobby will be the underdog against Soto. The Filipino has a 27-12-3 record with 12 knockout and coming off a disqualification loss to Hector Velazquez. Soto has a record of 41-5-2, 25 KOs and one of Top Rank’s options to set up against Manny in the near future.
