By Lem Satterfield
WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao could end up taking part in back to back fights in the junior middleweight division. Pacquiao is still trying to secure his super-fight, for November 13 in Las Vegas, against Floyd Mayweather Jr. Team Pacquiao and Top Rank have given Mayweather until the end of today, midnight Pacific time, to sign his name to a deal - or Pacquiao will move foward with another opponent.
Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito are the two options on the table to replace Mayweather. Margarito appears to be the frontrunner. If Margarito is indeed selected, the fight would take place for the vacant WBC junior middleweight title, with Abu Dhabi and Mexico being the possible locations to stage the event.
According to Pacquiao's adviser Michael Koncz, no decision has been made on the next opponent. Last week in Puerto Rico, Koncz met with Miguel Cotto to discuss a junior middleweight rematch for Cotto's WBA title. Pacquiao stopped Cotto last November to win the WBO welterweight crown. If Margarito is indeed up first, and they fail to reach a deal with Mayweather for a showdown in May 2011, then a unification bout with Cotto could follow.
"As a matter of fact I just got off of the phone with Manny also," said Koncz. "To me, it's all about business right now. It's all about the economics. There's no decision made. But if Manny decides -- because he's the one who ultimately makes the decision -- if he decides to do Margarito, then we'll definitely want to fight Miguel at some point in time.
"I just don't know if it's this time or not. But if Manny chooses Margarito, then I would talk to Miguel and let him know why we made that decision and hope that we could fight him after Margarito if there is no Mayweather."
Lem Satterfield is the boxing editor at AOL FanHouse and the news editor at BoxingScene.com.com To read more from Lem Satterfield, go to AOL FanHouse by Clicking Here.
