Pacquiao vs Margarito | Pacquiao Fight Updates

It's no secret promoter Bob Arum had Miguel Cotto firmly on his list of potential next opponents for pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao - even before Cotto's win over Joshua Clottey this past Saturday night. Now that Cotto has won and is still the holder of a world title, it seems as though Arum is keen to get the fight made a done deal. There was reportedly a short list of possible opponents for Pacquiao's next fight (originally thought to be set for October) and it sure looks like Cotto is at the top of that list now.

Pacquiao doesn't seem keen on taking on "Sugar" Shane Mosley, at least not yet. Floyd Mayweather has just pulled out of his July fight with Juan Manuel Marquez with an injured rib, meaning those two greats will have to wait a while - possibly until September - before finally getting it on.. This leaves just Edwin Valero and Cotto from the list we heard about pre-June 13th. Box-Rec already have the Pacquiao-Cotto fight up on their site as happening at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas on November 14th, and moments after his Top Rank fighter won via a somewhat debatable split decision on Saturday, Arum spoke to some members of the press about a possible fight between the two huge names.

"Cotto-Pacquiao is the fight I want to make," said Arum. "It's the fight I really want to make."

Cotto, understandably, needs and is going to take a vacation. But if the fight takes place on November 14th, some five months away as it is, Cotto could surely be ready for "Pac-Man" by then. There will be the not too small matter of the bout's weight to be agreed on, and from what Arum reportedly said post-fight on Saturday, a catch-weight affair at somewhere around the 142 to 145-pound mark is what he'll shoot for.

If it does happen, at a weight both guys are happy with (143 sounds as fair as can be) what can we expect?

Fans are still arguing as to whether or not Cotto deserved the win he was awarded over the dangerous Clottey. Hit plenty in the 12-rounder and content to back-pedal his way to the final bell over the bout's last four-rounds, Cotto impressed some and disappointed others. Some fans have even gone as far as to suggest the Puerto Rican star may be finished. Although that's going way too far, it does certainly seem as though Pacquiao will be the fresher man in the ring on November 14th (if they meet).

"Pac-Man," too, has been in his share of tough fights, but his last two wins have been pretty easily acquired ones - De La Hoya offering next to nothing over 8 one-sided rounds, and Hatton making things easy for Manny by discarding all defence on his way to being starched in the 2nd round. Ready for another fight that will test his greatness, Pacquiao definitely has plenty in the tank for a prospective fight with Cotto.

Then again, would even a 143-pound (on the scales) Cotto be too big for the Filipino sensation? By fight time it's possible Cotto would hold something like a ten pound weight advantage over the southpaw. When it comes to speed, both guys are very fast punchers. Power? The edge has to go to Pacquiao.

Aside from Pacquiao-Mayweather and "Pac-Man"- Mosley, Cotto-Pacquiao is the most attractive fight involving the superstar from Manila that can be made right now.

Let's see if Arum - who calls the fight "Dead-Even" - gets to see the fight he is seemingly desperate to make happen.


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