Shane Mosley Appears To Be Manny Pacquiao's Next Opponent

While Floyd Mayweather Jr. is Manny Pacquiao's most desired opponent, who just won the WBC junior middleweight title against Mexican Antonio Margarito Saturday night at the Cowboys Stadium, chances are the undefeated American boxer may have to wait until later next year if he finally decides to face the Filipino boxer.

The way matches are being arranged at this time, it appears Pacquiao will have to dispose of Shane Mosley first before pounding on undefeated Floyd Mayweather, who is currently facing various criminal cases in Clark County, Nevada.

The most popular challengers are salivating to face Pacquiao for the life-changing and almost sinful amount of money the fight will bring. They include the following in the most desired order:

• Floyd Mayweather Jr, 33 years old, undefeated (41-0)
• Shane Mosley, 39 years old (46-6)
• Juan Manuel Marquez, 37 years old (51-5)
• Miguel Cotto, 30 years old (35-2)

Millions of boxing fans around the word are hoping the long-awaited fight between pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquaio and Floyd Mayweather Jr. It is certainly the fight everyone in the world wants to see.

After two lengthy negotiations between Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum and the Mayweather Jr. camp, the fight is still in limbo due to uncertainties of court judgment on Mayweather's court cases. However, it remains the dream fight of 2011.

On top of Mayweather's legal problems, his uncle Roger, who acts as his trainer and coach, is also facing his own battle in court for an assault on a woman in his Las Vegas apartment.

Added to these "roadblocks" is the reported public suspicion that the undefeated boxer would rather fight hand-picked opponents that will assure him of a win to preserve his unblemished record rather than risk losing it to Manny Pacquiao.

Under these prevailing circumstances, boxing fans believe Manny Pacquiao should now consider Shane Mosley for his next fight which could happen in May next year.

Mosley seems to be the better choice from among the listed challengers for Pacquiao's next fight, considering the revenues the fight will generate and the expected match acceptance from boxing fans.

The viewing public will remember how Mosley almost demolished Floyd Mayweather with a devastating punch in the second round of their most recent fight. In the controversial second round, Mayweather was forced to hold Mosley's trunks to save himself from being knocked out.

Unfortunately or fortunately, Mosley failed to finish him by slowing down, as if he was not interested in winning the fight. His stance led many boxing fans to believe the fight may have been fixed; otherwise he wouldn't have stopped his offense since he was still unhurt and in top shape as the fight was just beginning.

Many boxing fans and critics believe Mosley would have won the fight if he continued his assault on the already groggy Mayweather, and it is one reason Mosley will be considered a good and credible choice to challenge Manny Pacquiao.

In the case of Juan Manuel Marquez, a great number of boxing fans both in the Philippines and in Mexico have been begging for years for a Pacquiao-Marquez trilogy. These mostly fanatic Marquez and Pacquiao followers make up a sizable number, and the promoters will be assured of a decent revenue needed to make the fight happen for the third time.

Marquez himself has been chasing Pacquiao for years and even traveled to Manila to see Pacquiao with his folded hands and bended knees for the much talked-about trilogy.

A Pacquiao-Cotto rematch is likewise a possibility. Although Cotto struggled over Pacquiao's unrelenting attack during their last fight, he gave the public a good fight, and for that he deserves a rematch.

Like Marquez, Cotto has a good number of loyal, nationalistic fans from Puerto Rico and the US East Coast who will fill in the revenues need to stage a rematch.

Sergio Martinez could have been a worthy opponent for the pound-for-pound king, but Pacquio's handlers have decided the Filipino boxer will settle in the lower weight level, which in effect counts Martinez out being a full pledge middleweight.

In the meantime, promoter Bob Arum is expected to announce in the next few days the start of negotiations for Manny Pacquiao's next opponent.