MANILA, Philippines - Talks of Manny Pacquiao facing either Miguel Cotto or Shane Mosley next remain just that: talks.
“They’re propaganda,” said Pacquiao’s Canadian adviser, Mike Koncz, when sought by The STAR to share the latest on the FIlipino boxer as far as his plans on the ring are concerned.
Aside from the fact that Pacquiao has agreed to return on Oct. 17, nothing is definite as to who’ll be in the other corner. Even the fight venue remains a tossup among a lot of bidders.
“There’s been no real discussions, just small discussions between Manny, me and (lawyer) Geng (Franklin Gacal) as to who the next opponent’s gonna be,” said Gacal last night.
He said Freddie Roach mentioning the names of Cotto and Mosley, a pair of welterweights who can give Pacquiao the toughest challenge ever in his career, can be taken as an opinion.
“Freddie is the trainer he’s not the manager so he’s not involved in the final process of negotiation for the selection of the opponent. With due respect to train Manny is his duty,” said Koncz.
“Again it’s propaganda,” said Koncz of recent articles saying Pacquiao would fight Cotto or Mosley at 142 lb, and that both fighters have turned down the idea, saying it’s 145 lb or nothing.
Koncz said Pacquiao has never talked about Cotto or Mosley as his next opponent.
“Who said we want to fight Cotto? Manny has never said that. He’s never made any statement on that.
“And Shane Mosley? They’re all potential opponents but Manny has not narrowed it down to either or both individuals nor have they been a major part of our discussions,” added Koncz.
“In fact Shane Mosley never came up in the discussions Geng, Manny and I had. There’s a lot of names – there’s Julio Cesar Chavez and Edwin Valero – but again Mayweather is out there,” he said.
A Team Pacquiao insider said it’s really Mayweather they’re after simply because it’s the biggest fight out there.
“But the thing is we’re not going to wait for this guy. If something else comes up to us... he chose to fight someone else,” said Roach of Mayweather, who decided to come out of retirement and take on Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18.
“We’re the top dog right now. If he wants to make the kind of money he’s talking about then he has to fight Pacquiao. Pacquiao’s the draw right now – not Mayweather,” Roach told fighthype.com.
Whoever it’s going to be, Koncz said the weight shouldn’t be much of a problem, but the profit sharing.
“Negotiations on the profit sharing is going to be the major issue. Weight is an issue but it’s the sharing, the economics. We will decide on the opponent whom we find is suitable for Manny,” Koncz explained.
“The hardest thing with Mayweather he wants the 60/40 he’s talking about. Pacquiao’s the number one guy. 60/40 our way will work. 60/40 his way, it’s not happening,” the greatest trainer in the world right now added.
He said the final decision is with Pacquiao, whatever his promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, puts on the table.
The final decision is with Manny. Then it will be on Manny’s terms. We will not allow them to push us around. Ultimately what his decision is what will happen,” said his adviser.
Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=471149&publicationSubCategoryId=69
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