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WBC lightweight champion Edwin Valero (25-0, 25KOs) says that a fight with Manny Pacquiao is a lock to happen in the future. As part of his deal to sign a promotional contract with Top Rank, Valero was guaranteed a crack at Pacquiao down the line and says the only way the fight won't happen is if Pacquiao retires.
According to trainer/manager Brendon Smith, top lightweight contender Michael Katsidis is willing to move up to junior welterweight and travel to Manchester to make a fight with recently defeated Ricky Hatton. Katsidis is coming off a stoppage win over former champion Jesus Chavez. Hatton is mulling his boxing future after being knocked out by Manny Pacquiao in two rounds last Saturday in Las Vegas.
According to trainer Rogelio Espino, WBA/IBF super bantamweight champion Celestino Caballero has WBO champ Juan Manuel Lopez on his list of targets. Lopez is one of several names that Caballero would like to fight. Caballero himself admits that a lot of work would be needed to make such a fight. Caballero has been having a tough time making 122-pounds - but he can make it.
WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto has no problem with fighting Manny Pacquiao at the end of the year. First Cotto has to get past a very tough fight with Joshua Clottey on June 13 in New York's Madison Square Garden. Pacquiao plans to sit ringside.
Freddie Roach, who trains both Amir Khan and pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, says the two fighters will never meet in the ring on his watch. Pacquiao made his junior welterweight debut last Saturday night, knocking out Ricky Hatton in two rounds to become the number one fighter at the weight. Khan moves up to junior welterweight on June 27 and challenges WBA champion Andreas Kotelnik. Recently Khan said that he would like to fight his way to the point where people consider him the best, pound for pound. To do that, he would have to cross paths with Pacquiao, but Roach says that he will prevent that from taking place.
According to Bernard Hopkins, WBC super middleweight champion Carl Froch can become a superstar if he decides to accept his offer for a fight. Hopkins, 44, is willing to close out his career by moving down from light heavyweight to challenge Froch for his title. Froch made a big impact on April 25 by coming off the floor in the third round and battling his way to knockout of Jermain Taylor with only 14-seconds left in the fight.
WBA/WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez is taking every precaution for his upcoming fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. on July 18. Marquez is hoping the swine flu epidemic is not going to complicate his training camp. He usually trains in Mexico for his big fights, but plans to leave the country to train elsewhere if the flu strain continues to spread.
Junior middleweight prospect Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is hoping that Top Rank's Bob Arum makes good on his promise to make a showdown with Manny Pacquiao. After Chavez's win over Luciano Cuelo in March, Arum mentioned the possibility of matching the young Mexican fighter against Pacquiao at the end of the year. The fight would take place at a catch-weight. Chavez returns to action in July.
Oscar De La Hoya has advised Ricky Hatton to continue fighting. De La Hoya promotes Hatton under his company, Golden Boy Promotions. Hatton was knocked out cold in two rounds by Manny Pacquiao last weekend in Las Vegas. De La Hoya told Hatton that he is a young fighter who can still come back from defeat.
The New Jersey State Athletic Commission refused to approve a fight that was scheduled to take place this coming Saturday at the Taj Majal Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, between veterans Hector Camacho Sr. and Yory Boy Campas. Camacho was not approved for the fight and the entire event has been cancelled. The athletic commission did not give an exact reason but most suspect it has to do with Camacho's age, 46, and the fact that he only fought once since 2005 - winning a fight last July. Campas fought eleven times in the same time period, but is coming off back to back losses.