Pacquiao decides to move next fight to December

Manny Pacquiao has decided to move the date of his next fight from Nov. 10 to Dec. 1.  Pacquiao’s adviser, Mike Koncz, said Pacquiao chose to because of the "conflicting schedules with the boxing and Manny’s personal affairs.”  Pacquiao, the only boxer in history to win eight world titles in as many weight divisions, is also a congressman in his native province of Sarangani.  The 33-year-old Pinoy icon is into showbiz as well, running a weekly television game show, and over the past few months has been deeply associated with the bible.  If Pacquiao fights on Dec. 1, that will be close to six months after his stunning and controversial loss to Timothy Bradley last June 9 in Las Vegas.  Top Rank chief Bob Arum did not pick up his phone today. He was probably busy at the moment or he was not in the mood to talk after news of Pacquiao’s decision came out on the Internet.  "We've informed Top Rank that we cannot go on Nov. 10," Koncz told Lem Satterfield of www.ringTV.com. The fight would have taken place at the MGM Grand.

Arum and Koncz met in New York a couple of days ago.  Arum already has a lock on that date at the MGM, and now he may have to move the mountains to seal the venue for Pacquiao on the first day of December.  But that’s if Pacquiao wants his next fight held at the MGM, where he took the controversial loss to the undefeated Bradley.  "So [Top Rank CEO] Bob Arum has moved the date now to Dec. 1, and he's done that at our request due to conflicting schedules with the boxing and Manny's personal affairs,” Koncz said.  Pacquiao has yet to choose from among the three names that Arum gave him. They are Juan Manuel Marquez, Miguel Cotto and Bradley.

But Pacquiao, jaded boxing observers say, may no longer be interested in a rematch with Bradley or Cotto or a fourth fight with Marquez.  Pacquiao stressed following his loss to Bradley that he wants Floyd Mayweather next, and word is that there are people working on the superfight.  Pacquiao wants Mayweather in April 2013. Perhaps the “secret negotiations” are going on well that there’s a possibility the two superstars may fight on Dec. 1.  If nothing comes out of the Mayweather talks, then Pacquiao should be forced to choose from among Bradley, Marquez or Cotto for a December fight.  Or he may not even fight at all the rest of the year, and instead make sure he’s 110 percent ready if a fight with Mayweather takes place in the first quarter of 2013.