Pacman team eyes short list of rivals

MANILA, Philippines - Unless Fioyd Mayweather Jr. turns into Harry Houdini, the world can forget about the superfight with Manny Pacquiao in May.

Pacquiao, according to his legal adviser, will have to start looking for someone else to face other than the undefeated American.

“We’re back to our short list that includes Juan Manuel Marquez, Miguel Cotto and Timothy Bradley,” said lawyer Franklin Gacal.

He said Pacquiao was already looking at the fight with Mayweather either on May 5 or May 26. But with the court order, everything goes up in smoke.

Just to make sure the superfight happens, Pacquiao even announced last week that he was willing to get the smaller share of the purse with Mayweather.

“Floyd can ask for a suspended term but I really doubt if he can get it. We were looking at a jail sentence of less than 30 days but he got 90 days,” said Gacal.

Mayweather, of course, is no Houdini, the legendary escape artist, magician, stunt performer, actor and film producer of the 1800s.

“Now there could be changes. Manny can opt to fight earlier or later than May. It’s all up to him,” said Gacal, adding that among the three, Cotto may have the inside track.

Mayweather was sentenced to 90 days in jail by Las Vegas judge Melissa Saragosa yesterday after the boxer pleaded guilty of charges of domestic violence in 2010.

The sentence, as ordered by the court, should start on Jan, 6, and the earliest Mayweather could get out of jail is on April 2, making it physically impossible for him to fight in May.

Mayweather turns 35 in February, and the jail sentence won’t do his career any good.

“Kalimutan na natin ang Mayo (Let’s forget about May),” said Pacquiao’s lawyer over the phone yesterday.

He sounded surprised that Mayweather got 90 days in jail, on top of a $2,500 fine, a year-long domestic violence class, a hundred hours of community service.

Yahoo! Sports also reported that Mayweather was also asked to remain out of trouble for a year, away from such incidents when he assaulted his former girlfriend, and a security guard in 2010.

It will be recalled that Mike Tyson, the former heavyweight champion, was also jailed for three years after a rape case in 1992.

But Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports noted the big difference is that Tyson was only 26 when he got out of jail, and went on to regain the title.

Mayweather will celebrate his 35th birthday in jail, and while it’s only three months, and not three years as compared to Tyson, how it might affect him psychologically remains a question.

“Certainly it will not help him,” said Gacal.

“But while in prison, he can always stay in shape. He’s always been in shape anyway. But for the meantime, we need to look for another opponent.

Pacquiao, as of presstime, was holed out in his mansion in General Santos City, and according to his public information officer, Rose Tamayo, he’s bound for Cagayan de Oro today.

Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee will board a private plane early in the morning to personally help distribute relief goods to the countless victims of Typhoon “Sendong.”

“We’ve prepared sacks of rice, boxes and boxes of mineral water and other relief goods for distribution in Cagayan de Oro,” said Tamayo.

And while Mayweather was being read his sentence, Pacquiao was busy handing out cash gifts to hundreds of people who lined up outside his mansion.

Pacquiao, Tamayo said, handed out more than half a million pesos to the people of General Santos City, and tomorrow there will be another gift-giving in Sarangani.

The other day, Pacquiao was at the blessing of his newly-acquired yacht that’s worth P25 million or nearly $580,000, and a couple of jetskis worth P1 million each.