By Rick Reeno

If everything plays out as expected, Oscar De La Hoya will announce his next opponent by the second week of January. Currently, there are two frontrunners to oppose De La Hoya on the tentative date of May 3 - WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto and former two-division champion Ricky Hatton.

Bob Arum, head of Top Rank, tells BoxingScene.com that Cotto's next fight is still up in the air, as they await De La Hoya's decision on his next opponent. The current plan is for Cotto and Margarito to appear in seperate fights on a doubleheader in March/April, and then match the two fighters on an HBO pay-per-view in June/July. But if De La Hoya decides to fight Cotto in May, the two fight plan will be scrapped.

"After the New Year, we will talk to HBO. The plan is for Miguel to fight in late March or early April and then fight again in June or July. He should fight twice in that time period," Arum said. "The date in late March or early April would be a doubleheader with Antonio Margarito. Provided they win, Cotto would fight Margarito in June or July. Nothing is set until we hear from Oscar after the New Year. I have a good relationship with Golden Boy Promotions. I spoke with Richard (Schaefer) and told him that we can't wait forever. I'll speak with Richard again after the New Year. It's up to Oscar. Maybe he won't fight (in May). Maybe he'll pick someone else. Everything should sorted out after the New Year."

For some time, Cotto has been rumored to fight Joshua Clottey in his March/April return, but Arum tells BoxingScene that's far from the case. Clottey recently won an IBF eliminator over unbeaten Shamone Alvarez, which made him the mandatory to IBF welterweight champion Kermit Cintron. Clottey's manager has asked Top Rank to make the fight with Cintron. Cintron, has been pushing for a rematch with Antonio Margarito, another Top Rank fighter, but Arum says Cintron must first deal with Clottey.

"Cintron has to fight Clottey. Clottey won the eliminator over Shamone Alvarez to become the mandatory. Clottey wants the fight. Clottey's manager asked us to make the fight. That's our position and that's his position," Arum said.

As far Margarito, several names are being thrown around, but no opponent has been set.