Arum due to discuss Manny's next fight

MANILA, Philippines - What’s next for Manny Pacquiao will be laid down on the table on the first week of January when Bob Arum flies to Manila to sit down with the Filipino boxing icon.

“I’m coming over,” the ageless chief of Top Rank Promotions told The STAR yesterday.

Arum said he’ll arrive in Manila right after the New Year comes in so he can discuss all the possibilities regarding Pacquiao’s next fight.

There’s been a lot of talk going on regarding negotiations between Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. sometime in May.

But there’s nothing more to that because while it’s being written that talks are on, there are also those saying that there’s none at all.

Arum said everybody should be optimistic about the possibility that the super fight would take place next year, and it doesn’t have to be in May.

“Right now there’s nothing to report but we’re still very hopeful,” said Arum from Denver.

He said in case the Mayweather fight doesn’t happen, Pacquiao should be back in the ring by the second quarter of 2012, and there are opponents to choose from.

Arum said there’s Juan Manuel Marquez, who wants a fourth fight with Pacquiao, or Miguel Cotto, who wants a rematch with boxing’s most exciting figure today.

Then there’s Timothy Bradley.

“So, he has three other possible opponents,” said Arum, adding that any fight they choose can earn Pacquiao as much as he’s been earning recently.

Or even more.

“He’s been doing very, very well in the fights that we’ve been doing. He may not make the same money if it was against Mayweather but he can still be guaranteed $25 million.

“Or it may even reach $30 million. That’s why I’m coming in right after the New Year comes in,” said Arum.

Regarding the third clash with Marquez last Nov. 12 in Las Vegas, Arum said it was a huge success in terms of pay-per-view sales.

Unofficial reports have come out regarding the final figures, and Arum said there really isn’t any yet.

“We still don’t have the official number. But it looks like it’s in the area of 1.4 million – a little above or a little behind,” he said.

Just enough to make everybody happy.