Pacquiao-Cotto Contract on Hold While Bob Arum is on Vacation

There seems to be a news blackout with regards to the signing of the fight contract between Pacquiao and Cotto as Bob Arum is currently vacationing in Europe. The camp of Pacquiao is suddenly talking of a Pacquiao-Mosley fight.

The Pacquiao-Cotto boxing match will remain uncertain until Top Rank’s honcho Bob Arum returns from a European vacation. For now, it’s all speculation. No confirmation of any fight detail is expected until after Arum comes back any day next week. Before traveling to the US for a photo shoot with Kobe Bryant and Maria Sharapova, Manny Pacquiao said in a TV News report that he is only 80% sure the Pacquiao-Cotto fight will happen. The pound-for pond king returned to the Philippines from a photo session with the equally famous sports celebrities without seeing Bob Arum, hence no decision on the fight contract was made during the week. It seems that news reporters where Arum is vacationing somewhere in Europe are prevented from getting a short statement from the popular boxing promoter with a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign posted on the door of his hotel suite. In news reports yesterday, Shane Mosley’s name is again being floated as Pacquiao’s opponent this year as the Cotto camp could not decide on the weight Pacquiao wants for the fight. Philstar.com reports:

Manny Pacquiao’s lawyer, Franklin Gacal, yesterday said if Miguel Cotto insists on the catch weight of 145 lb, the Filipino boxing icon might be forced to consider Mosley as his next opponent.

“We will not agree to 145 pounds. And if Cotto insists, we’ll go for Mosley,” said Gacal from Davao City.

Still the date and venue for the fight have not yet been finalized. “Regarding the date, maybe we can give in to what Bob Arum wants although Manny really wants to fight in October. But there’s the baseball thing so maybe we can agree on November,” said Gacal.

On the weight issue, “Manny will be giving up too much if he agrees to fight Cotto at 145. We want him at 143 and if he insists otherwise, then we’ll look at Mosley if Mosley is still available,” said the Filipino lawyer.