Pacquiao: There is No Need to Hurry

Let us begin with an update on the national boxing scene:

On June 1, Olympian Danilo Lerio will battle Louie Bantigue for the vacant Philippine flyweight title. The fight will be held June 1 in Angono, Rizal. This event will be promoted by Aljoe Jaro, who also manages Lerio.

This figures to be a good match as Bantigue is on a three-bout winning roll including a Japan victory last October, while Lerio is coming off a huge win over erstwhile undefeated Apol Suico.


Pacquiao Update:

Yesterday, Manny Pacquiao there’s no need to hurry in choosing his next opponent in the ring. His promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, a free hand to choose his next opponent. Perhaps Pacquiao is still recovering from his failed congressional bid. Four possible opponents in Joan Guzman of Venezuela, Edwin Valero of the Dominican Republic, and Mexicans Marco Antonio Barrera and Humberto Soto has been offered by Arum as possible opponents.

Juan Manuel Marquez, the reigning World Boxing Council super-featherweight champion, is down the list although boxing experts believe that it could be the biggest fight of the year. According to online polls, boxing fans prefer a Marquez versus Pacquiao bout. The situation is complicated as , Top Rank is in a legal tussle with Golden Boy, which has ties with Guzman, Valero, Barrea and Marquez.

Pacquiao has said that it's all up to the negotiations and a decision may be made when he arrives on the US. He is scheduled to go to the US on May 28 to receive his 2006 Boxer of the Year award from the Boxing Writers Association of America on June 8 and watch his brother's fight against Soto.