And then there were two horses running in the Manny Pacquiao Sweepstakes.
Going past the first run with a sizable lead of about three lengths is Sugar Shane Mosley, the wily, 38 year old veteran who has bolted from the Golden Boy stable.
Mosley and "jockey" James Prince can see the finish line ahead on or about Dec. 17-18 when Pacman will officially select his April 16 MGM Grand Las Vegas opponent.
"Scratched" for the Megamanny Derby, it seems based on a conversation I had moments ago with Bob Arum, is Mexican counterpuncher Juan Manuel Marquez, whose two controversial bouts with Pacman had many fight fans hoping for a trilogy matchup.
Other insiders said Thursday that young and undefeated Andre Berto is still in the race and that the proposal made to Arum by Lou DiBella on Berto's behalf and OK'd by adviser Al Haymon was not deemed "excessive or outrageous" by Grand Poobah Bob.
According to Arum, he will present all three offers to Pacman
and trainer Freddie Roach when they huddle in General Santos City a week before Christmas and before after Manny's 32nd birthday celebration.Arum made no bones about his dismay at the Marquez offer as communicated in an email from Richie Rich Schaefer to Top Rank president Todd duBoef.
“This proposal I got on Marquez, meanwhile, is Schaefer just selling Marquez down the river,” Arum said. “This is the same Schaefer who keeps talking about Floyd Mayweather, about what Floyd is going to do...like he’s still involved with Mayweather when he is not...
“It's just not realistic and I don't think Schaefer really wants Juan to fight Pacquiao again. Schaefer knows, like everyone else does, that Manny will kick the bleep out of Marquez.
"They want to avoid Manny and, that way, Schaefer can put his guy in with (Robert) Guerrero or someone else. Schaefer knows that if he has him fight Manny now, that will be the end for (the 37 year old) Marquez," Arum said.
Arum did not specify the exact amount of Schaefer's requested purse but said it went beyond what Marquez made last May when he lost over 12 rounds to Floyd Mayweather Jr. Arum said it's commonly known in the industry that Marquez was paid $4 million plus a small PPV TV upside, above a particular figure, of $1 per pay per view buy.
“How do they ask us to pay the same amount he got for the Mayweather fight, which he lost? How do they ask for the same amount or even anything slightly less than that? It makes zero sense.”
Arum also directed a verbal blast at Oscar de la Hoya and his public remarks that Pacquiao is only on a winning streak because he demands and gets weight concession from foes, including himself.
Oscar said that the time has come for Pacman to grant Marquez a third bout and to agree to do it as at about 143 pounds, slightly below the welterweight limit and slightly above the junior welterweight limit.
“Look,” Arum said, “anybody who listens to what Oscar says now has to be deranged. It’s very sad with Oscar but unless you program him on what to say, it always comes out wrong.”
I asked Arum when he will sit down with Miguel Cotto and his lawyer, Gabriel Penagaricano Jr., to discuss their interest in a possible middleweight title bout this spring against red-hot Sergio Martinez.
“They’re going to the Lakers game tonight,” Arum said. “We made arrangements for that. So I think we will have a breakfast meeting tomorrow (Friday in Anaheim).”
Arum offered no opinion on Cotto-Martinez, saying he wanted to hear what Team Cotto has to say first.
The prevailing thought in the business is that “In House Bob” will prefer to direct the Boricua Bomber to his natural revenge match against Antonio Margarito.
For the record, I am emailing this to Uncle Richie for his response but I will not hold my breath waiting for same.
FYI, the number to call remains 917 853 4484 and the "Blast Arum Back" operator is on Orange Alert.
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Source: examiner.com
