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Roach: "Floyd is fragile and over-rated and Pacquiao will surely cut him to ribbons"
If Floyd Mayweather Jr. insists of getting the lion’s share of the money, Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum may opt for Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico as the probable opponent of Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao.
"Mayweather is taking the position that unless he gets more money, there will never be a fight, that's absurd," Arum told the British press. "Manny is the most sought-after boxer on the planet. If Mayweather persists with this position, a fight will never happen."
Arum said Cotto, who also fights under the Top Rank banner like Pacquiao, appears to be a more viable
foe most especially if he wins against Ghanaian Joshua Clottey on Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila) at Madison Square Garden in New York.
"If Cotto beats Clottey that's just as big a fight," said Arum, noting that Cotto has a tremendous following
among the Hispanics, making a match-up with Pacquiao as sure box-office hit.
Pacquiao gets to size Cotto up close and personal as the Filipino will be in the Big Apple for the 84th annual Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) awards on the eve of the fight.
Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach said he prefers the brash Mayweather for Pacquiao over the other names being mentioned since he doesn't only commands big money but is the easiest to defeat compared with Shane Mosley and Cotto.
Roach said Mayweather is "fragile and over-rated" and Pacquiao will surely cut him to ribbons.
Mayweather, however, has a big test to overcome on July 18: Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico.
What if Marquez scores an upset?
"Then, we'll fight him (Marquez)?" said Roach, who plans to convince Pacquiao to wait until the third week of July before making a decision as to who to fight next.
Arum said he will be compelled to move the Oct. 17 fight to Nov. 14 if Pacquiao delays his decision to name his next opponent, something Roach is comfortable with, saying he doesn't mind waiting up to December as long as it is Mayweather.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao left for the US via Northwest Airlines Friday morning to grace the BWAA banquet at the Capitale. Pacquiao, wife Jinkee, Canadian adviser Mike Koncz and lawyer Franklin Gacal boarded the 8:10 a.m. flight to New York with a stopover in Tokyo.
Pacquiao had initially decided to skip the event but changed his mind on the urging of his advisers.
Pacquiao, who knocked out Ricky Hatton of England in his last fight on May 2, could be back in the country by Monday or Tuesday although the Los Angeles Dodgers have booked him to appear for a ceremonial pitch on Wednesday.
"Mayweather is taking the position that unless he gets more money, there will never be a fight, that's absurd," Arum told the British press. "Manny is the most sought-after boxer on the planet. If Mayweather persists with this position, a fight will never happen."
Arum said Cotto, who also fights under the Top Rank banner like Pacquiao, appears to be a more viable
foe most especially if he wins against Ghanaian Joshua Clottey on Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila) at Madison Square Garden in New York.
"If Cotto beats Clottey that's just as big a fight," said Arum, noting that Cotto has a tremendous following
among the Hispanics, making a match-up with Pacquiao as sure box-office hit.
Pacquiao gets to size Cotto up close and personal as the Filipino will be in the Big Apple for the 84th annual Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) awards on the eve of the fight.
Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach said he prefers the brash Mayweather for Pacquiao over the other names being mentioned since he doesn't only commands big money but is the easiest to defeat compared with Shane Mosley and Cotto.
Roach said Mayweather is "fragile and over-rated" and Pacquiao will surely cut him to ribbons.
Mayweather, however, has a big test to overcome on July 18: Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico.
What if Marquez scores an upset?
"Then, we'll fight him (Marquez)?" said Roach, who plans to convince Pacquiao to wait until the third week of July before making a decision as to who to fight next.
Arum said he will be compelled to move the Oct. 17 fight to Nov. 14 if Pacquiao delays his decision to name his next opponent, something Roach is comfortable with, saying he doesn't mind waiting up to December as long as it is Mayweather.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao left for the US via Northwest Airlines Friday morning to grace the BWAA banquet at the Capitale. Pacquiao, wife Jinkee, Canadian adviser Mike Koncz and lawyer Franklin Gacal boarded the 8:10 a.m. flight to New York with a stopover in Tokyo.
Pacquiao had initially decided to skip the event but changed his mind on the urging of his advisers.
Pacquiao, who knocked out Ricky Hatton of England in his last fight on May 2, could be back in the country by Monday or Tuesday although the Los Angeles Dodgers have booked him to appear for a ceremonial pitch on Wednesday.
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