Apparently, Bob Arum has already decided Manny Pacquiao's next move without even meeting with him to discuss the options. According to reports, the wily promoter is moving forward with his original plans for the 8-division world champion to return to the ring some time in June. Speaking to Nick Giongco of the Manila Bulletin, Arum supposedly stated that Pacquiao's next fight will take place on June 9 or June 16 against "a soon-to-be-named opponent". Pacquiao's legal adviser, Atty. Franklin Gacal, echoed those sentiments in a separate report.
"If Floyd has got a lock on May 5 in Las Vegas, then that leaves us with no other choice but to fight in June. Mr. Arum knows that," Gacal would tell Abac Cordero of the Philippine Star. On Sunday, both Arum and adviser Michael Koncz are traveling to the Philippines to meet with Pacquiao and present him a list of four names to choose from - Juan Manuel Marquez, Timothy Bradley, Miguel Cotto, and Lamont Peterson. When news first broke of Floyd Mayweather's surrender date being postponed until June, Pacquiao was reportedly delighted, telling Nick Gionco, "That's a better match," suggesting that he would raise the matter of a Mayweather showdown with his promoter. Arum, however, made it clear that he would not be speaking to Pacquiao about the possibility of facing Mayweather on May 5, telling ESPN's Dan Rafael, "Absolutely not. Nope...We're fighting in June, one of the four guys."
Interestingly enough, just one day prior to Mayweather's jail term being postponed, Arum expressed a very real possibility of Pacquiao fighting some time in May, even suggesting that he might take the May 5 date that Mayweather had originally reserved. "Besides the opponent, the other thing we need to discuss is whether he'll fight in May or June," Arum explained to Dan Rafael while discussing his scheduled visit to the Philippines. "I'm not married to May 5, so Manny could fight on another date in May. If Manny's opponent is Marquez, I'd be much more married to the date." Now that it has become clear that Mayweather will indeed be fighting on May 5, it looks like Arum has already made the decision that Pacquiao will indeed be fighting in June, without even discussing the matter with his fighter.
Considering that Arum was even discussing the possibility of fighting in May before promptly changing his mind and declaring that Pacquiao will fight in June, all signs point to Juan Manuel Marquez as being the leading candidate to land the fight. One has to wonder if Manny Pacquiao truly has any say in his career or if he is simply fighting whoever his promoter picks for him, as he routinely says in post-fight interviews.
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