Bad Left Hook

Robert Morales of BoxingScene.com reports that Top Rank chief Bob Arum isn't considering Floyd Mayweather Jr for Manny Pacquiao's next fight, which will happen in May or June, because of Mayweather soon having to report for a 90-day prison sentence.

But Mayweather could face Pacquiao in November, if it all lines up.

"It's not an option," Arum said. "Manny is going to fight in May or June and if Floyd is available and Manny is successful, we'll fight Floyd in November. We are not going to operate Manny's career on what if, what if, what if. That doesn't make any business sense."

I guess it's nice to hear that Mayweather could be in the ring with Pacquiao in November, but just as likely this could be step one to, "Well, maybe in 2013."

Arum also recently officially named the four potential opponents for Pacquiao's spring fight, and as expected they are Juan Manuel Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Timothy Bradley, and Lamont Peterson.

Only one of them (Bradley) is actually under contract to Top Rank, but Cotto is an Arum loyalist without a signed piece of paper, Marquez is a free agent who just worked with Top Rank in November, and Peterson is without a rival promoter who might make things difficult, and even though he's got a hot name right now, would likely be the cheapest of the four to get into the ring. Marquez and Cotto are both major money fighters, and Bradley was paid more in November to trounce washed-up Joel Casamayor than Peterson has been offered for a desired rematch with Amir Khan.

Right now, Cotto seems to be the lead option, with Marquez and Bradley talking about a fight against one another, but that could change at any moment.