By Mark Vester
After back to back fights at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao is ready to return to Las Vegas. Top Rank CEO Bob Arum advised the Las Vegas Review Journal that he secured the date of April 16 at the MGM Grand. The fight is sure to be televised on HBO pay-per-view. Arum has to finalize the date with Pacquiao when they meet in the next few weeks in the Philippines.
''I have to meet with Manny and make sure he's OK with it,'' Arum said. ''It's an ideal date, right after the Final Four and at the start of the baseball season and right around the beginning of the NBA playoffs. As long as it doesn't interfere with his duties in Congress (in the Philippines), I think we'll be in good shape. I'm flying to Manila on the 12th ... we should know more then.''
The three fighters being considered to face Pacquiao are Andre Berto, Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez. Arum has the monetary terms from Berto's side and Mosley's side, but has yet to receive the monetary demands of Marquez. If Floyd Mayweather Jr. comes calling, Arum is likley going to push Pacquiao's return to a date in May. Mosley appears to be the frontrunner to get the fight.
''I have Berto's position. I have Mosley's position,'' Arum said. ''I'm waiting on Marquez's position. If we don't get one (from Marquez), we'll move on.''
