Pacquiao parties in Guam; Arum looks for next foe

MANILA, Philippines -- While Manny Pacquiao partied with showbiz friends in Guam the other night, his promoter, Bob Arum, has started lining up the Pinoy superstar’s next opponent.

Pacquiao flew to Guam for a concert of GMA Pinoy TV where he was a special guest, and according to his lieutenant, Bren Evangelio, also took time out to promote his coming fight with Ricky Hatton.

Pacquiao was joined in the very short trip to Guam by his wife Jinkee, fellow GMA 7 artists Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez, Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera, business manager Eric Pineda and wife Macy.

Pacquiao was scheduled to fly back to Manila last night.

Meanwhile, Arum said Edwin Valero is now on standby as Pacquiao’s next opponent.

Arum, who owns the promotional rights over both fighters, told boxingtalk.com that Valero, the knockout specialist from Venezuela, is indeed being groomed as next in line for the Pinoy pound-for-pound champion.

Pacquiao is scheduled to face Hatton on May 2 in Las Vegas for the latter’s IBO light-welterweight crown while Valero is in for a fight with Antonio Pitalua in April in Mexico.

Pacquiao has indicated he wants to retire this year, after two or three fights, and should he get past Hatton his next fight should come sometime in September.

There are many fighters hoping to get a crack at Pacquiao, but there are only a few, which the four-time world champion might consider. They include WBA welterweight champion Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito and the now-retired Floyd Mayweather Jr.

And here comes Valero.

“I signed Valero,” said Arum of the Venezuelan who recently came to terms with Top Rank.

“We want to get him a couple more fights and we think he will be ready to fight Manny,” added Arum without mentioning the fact that Valero still does not have the license to fight anywhere in the United States except in Texas.

Valero, who has won all his 24 fights by way of knockout, the first 18 coming in the first round, has been barred from fighting in the US after a medical in New York a few years back showed a skull fracture he sustained in a motorcycle accident back home.

Valero came to visit Manila last December and joined Pacquiao in his big birthday bash in Gen. Santos City. He said he’s willing to face Pacquiao.

Valero said he can dish out a better performance than Oscar dela Hoya who got pummeled by Pacquiao last Dec. 6 in Las Vegas.

The Venezuelan was part of the Dela Hoya training camp, but only managed to spar with the Golden Boy for eight rounds, saying he was sent home because he was hurting the 1992 Olympic champion.

A member of Team Dela Hoya said sending Valero home was a big mistake, because “solving Valero (also a southpaw) would have helped Dela Hoya solve Pacquiao.”

Arum said while they’re looking at Valero, they’re awaiting word from Mayweather.

“I can’t speak for Mayweather. He has been gone a long time. If he wants to do it he needs to have his people tell us that. I don’t know if he has an injury that he is hoping to heal or if he even wants to fight,” Arum told philboxing.com.