It's Marquez or Diaz for Manny Pacquiao

It’s either Marquez or Diaz for Manny

By ABAC CORDERO

The Philippine Star

The choice is being narrowed down to between Juan Manuel Marquez and David Diaz.

According to Manny Pacquiao’s adviser, Wakee Salud, the Filipino superstar should feel safe and sound choosing between Marquez and Diaz as his next opponent.

Salud said Pacquiao will be assured of a huge purse fighting for the WBC super-featherweight (130 lbs) title held by Marquez and the lightweight (135 lbs) crown worn by Diaz.

"I’m willing to fight anyone depending on the negotiations," said Pacquiao, adding that in the case of Marquez, it’s neither the weight nor the date, that’s been holding off a deal for a rematch.

"I can fight him at 130 or 135 anywhere. But he is asking too much. That’s the problem. If we can only agree, we can always fight. We can fight tomorrow," Pacquiao told The STAR.

Salud said Pacquiao should be happy with a $5 million guaranteed purse to face Marquez at 130 lbs. And this may not include his earnings in TV rights, pay-per-view shares and merchandise.

"But it must be for the 130 pound title. Manny should not fight Marquez if there’s no title at stake. If Marquez and Golden Boy can agree to a $3 million purse for themselves, then it’s good," said Salud.

Marquez is under Golden Boy while Diaz, like Pacquiao, is under Top Rank, making the fight against the latter quite easier since there will only be one promoter involved.

And that’s Bob Arum.

The legendary Top Rank president is leaning on a fight against David Diaz, and not the other Diaz, Juan, who holds the WBA, WBO and IBF lightweight crowns.

Arum had said that Juan Diaz is a fighter Pacquiao should face "later and not now." Another possible opponent, he said, is the winner in the coming fight between Humberto Soto and Joan Guzman.

But the choice is Pacquiao’s.

"Manny deserves a lot of options. It’s his decision. Whatever he decides. It’s not up to us, not up to Top Rank, not up to Marquez. It’s up to Manny," said Golden Boy vice president Eric Gomez.

The GBP representative said Pacquiao has earned the right to decide whom he wants to fight, but said the one against Marquez is "the fight that everybody wants."

"When you have a fight like this it takes time to make it but the chances are very good," he said, confirming that negotiations between GBP and Top Rank for a Pacquiao-Marquez rematch are on.