by Alexis Franz T. Lim
LAS VEGAS -- Top Rank promoter Bob Arum won't discuss the ongoing mediation with Golden Boy Promotions because of a confidentiality agreement signed by both sides, but he is willing to discuss Manny Pacquiao's next fight in the event there is no quick settlement of the various lawsuits between the companies.
Pacquiao, the junior lightweight star, is at the center of the battle between Top Rank and Golden Boy. He signed contracts with both of them and both companies claim his promotional rights, even though Pacquiao ultimately pledged his loyalty to Top Rank, fighting Jorge Solis under its banner April 14.
If the sides settle, Pacquiao's fall fight would undoubtedly be a major HBO PPV event against Golden Boy's Marco Antonio Barrera in a rematch of Pacquiao's 2003 knockout victory.
Barrera, who is here to support his buddy Ricky Hatton in Saturday night's fight against Jose Luis Castillo, told ESPN.com he wants to fight Pacquiao again before retiring at the end of this year.
However, if there is no settlement Arum said he will match Pacquiao with Humberto Soto, another Top Rank fighter and a top junior lightweight contender.
On June 9, Soto knocked out Bobby Pacquiao, Manny's brother, and he wants revenge, Arum told ESPN.com.
"Soto is who he would fight," Arum said. "It's a good fight. It's probably a better fight than Barrera, even though it's not as much money. But it's better than Barrera action-wise. Soto wants the fight like a kid wants ice cream, and Manny wants to avenge his brother's loss. That's what he told me. Manny said it's the perfect fight and that's what he wants, and that the fans will love it."
If it's Pacquiao-Soto, Arum said it would take place Oct. 6 in Vancouver, British Columbia, where there is a sizeable Filipino population. Arum said he is in talks with Showtime about the fight because without a Top Rank-Golden Boy settlement, he said HBO is leery of being involved.
Whomever Pacquiao fights in the fall, Arum wants to match exciting junior bantamweights Jorge Arce and Martin Castillo on the undercard.
"All I want to do is make good fights," Arum said. "That's all I want to do, and we're on a pretty good roll right now."
The last major fight in Vancouver? The 1972 rematch between Muhammad Ali and George Chuvalo. The promoter? Arum.
source: The Bohol Standard
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