Maybe Bob Arum is planning to retire from boxing simultaneously with Manny Pacquiao
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.Recently, Uncle Bob, a spry 79 year old, has been saying that he thinks Pacman will box twice each year in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
In other words, it will be six and out for the Congressmanny who turn age 35 on Dec. 17, 2013.That may seem funny or odd to Sergio Martinez, now 36 but who just crashed through the superstar status barrier at 35, but imagine the dazzling bank account, real estate and other assets Pacquiao will have piled up by the end of 2013.
This sounds reasonable to me and maybe I can "pack it in" when Bob and Manny do, oh I forget my 401K is still hovering at the 150K level so I will be scribbling until I fall over.
But I was ruminating about the two ways Pacman can play his six remaining ring dates, starting after his May 7 bout against Sugar Shane Mosley.
No need to worry about Mosley upsetting the apricot, so to speak, as Oscar De La Hoya has just labeled the former Golden Boy VP (who beat Oscar twice) as being only "a heavy bag" at this point.
Funny, I don't recall Oskie tweeting such infomation when he was peddling the Sergio Mora-Mosley bout, do you?
Be that as it may, after SSM, Pacman likely has five bouts remaining before Mommy Pac (Dionesia) finally gets her way.
I see two routes to the finish line for Pacquiao.
Route 1: He fights five different foes, perhaps these guys in this order...
1. JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ: Their history merits this and so what if Juan Ma takes an unaccustomed pounding?
2. ANDRE BERTO: Sort of deserving considering his unbeaten record but unfortunately he is not an established PPV name fighter. If Berto keeps his price low, he'll get the nod.
3. MIGUEL COTTO: On the slide, yeah, but he will beat Ricardo Mayorga and being "in house" with Top Rank is a big plus. This rematch is more than saleable.
4. SAUL ALVAREZ: How long can Pacquiao duck ginger-haired Mexican fighters? JC Chavez Jr. would have to cut a leg off to make 147 pounds and, if Golden Boy is reasonable, this could be a Mexican holiday bout in Las Vegas, probably in 2012.
5. FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR. or whoever bubbles up between DEVON ALEXANDER and TIM BRADLEY when their current three fight HBO deals expire. This assumes Mayweather-Pacquiao is not made in November of this year which I firmly but perhaps foolishly believe it will be. Obviously any Mayweather-Pacquiao encores knock someone off this list.
Route 2: If it's all about the money for Manny, without other considerations, then try this...
1. MAYWEATHER-PACQUIAO I: The Big One drops in November of this year after L'il Floyd has put to bed his various legal issues in Las Vegas.
2. IMMEDIATE REMATCH: Floyd and Manny earn so much the rematch happens in May of 2012.
3. THE THREEMATCH: Manny wins the first bout and Floyd takes a SD after 12 rounds in the rematch. Seeds of controversy lead to the rubber match.
interrupt this game plan to underline the obvious, that after three bank hauls with Mayweather, Manny may just retire then but in case he does not, we move on to...
4. FILL IN THE BLANK: Pacquiao fights TBA or TBD in Manila just to give his constituents a present.
5. THE FINALE, MARQUEZ-PACQUIAO III: So what if Juan Ma if Mosley is age 40? The bad blood will still be there to stir the pot.
Goodybye boxing, next stop Malacanang Palace...if Manny wants that. He may be too rich by then to be president of the Philippines.
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Source: examiner.com
