MANILA, Philippines - Lamont Peterson is falling in line for a crack at Manny Pacquiao in 2012.
Pacquiao had wanted Floyd Mayweather Jr. for May 5 or May 26 fight, but the American being sentenced to jail had completely changed the scenario.
The fighting congressman from Sarangani had said he’s now looking at Juan Manuel Marquez, Miguel Cotto and Tim Bradley as his next foe.
And yet Peterson, who recently dethroned Amir Khan as the IBF and WBA junior welterweight champion, is being thrown into the picture.
Pacquiao has the option to face Marquez for a fourth time, and risk it all, or take on Cotto in a rematch of their lopsided bout in November 2009.
Then there’s Bradley, who wasn’t too impressive in his knockout win over the aging Joel Casamayor in the undercard of Pacquiao-Marquez Part 3.
Of the three, Marquez is still the most dangerous while a rematch with Cotto may provide the same result.
A Team Pacquiao insider said there’s no need for Pacquiao to face Marquez, the greatest counter-puncher of this generation, a fourth time.
“The law of averages might catch up on us,” he said, considering that all three bouts between Pacquiao and Marquez could have gone either way.
“Subukan natin yung iba (Let’s try the others),” he added.
Bradley may not pose too much of a danger for Pacquiao, and perhaps Peterson as well. They can choose between these two, and hope that the Mayweather fight comes next.
Bob Arum hasn’t lost hope that Pacquiao vs Mayweather will take place in 2012, despite a 90-day jail sentence on the undefeated American.
Arum said the super fight could happen in November. For the meantime, the Top Rank chief is waiting to sit down with Pacquiao after the holidays.
Yet, there’s talk that Peterson already has a ticket to the Pacquiao lottery.
“I think that Lamont Peterson is a great opponent for Manny Pacquiao,” trainer Freddie Roach told www.ringtv.com recently.
Pacquiao’s adviser, Mike Koncz, also spoke to the online version of Ring Magazine, the Bible of boxing, regarding Peterson.
“I’m aware of the options that we have, and then, also, Lamont Peterson is another option also. We’ve had some preliminary discussions, but we’ve not sat down, Manny and I, to discuss that in depth,” he said. - By Abac Cordero
