Is Bob Arum Afraid of Mayweather for Pacquiao?

Pacquiao against Cotto. Pacquiao against Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. These are the fights Top Rank Boss Bob Arum wants. And with the rumors of Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s comback floating around every corner, Arum is obviously playing deaf. Or is he?

The big fight for Pacquiao, should he win against Ricky Hatton, is Cotto or Chavez. This was according to Arum of course. Even the name of a fighter who should have retired years ago is being put into the picture. And that name is Oscar Dela Hoya.

Arum obviuosly thinks that Mayweather is not the name to rake in the money right now. Well let's say that maybe, just maybe, Money May needs a little bit of a tuneup before he can again be in the boxing spotlight. But it is an undeniable fact that the rumors of Mayweather coming out of retirement (not the closet) is making more buzz than the names Miguel Cotto or Julio Cesar Chavez.

Even Chavez 39-0-1 (29KO), who is fresh off a victory against Luciano Cuello in Tijuana, Mexico on Saturday night is overshadowed by the mere news of Mayweather's return. Besides, Chavez fights in the Junior Middlewieght ranks and Pacquiao has only started to climb up to Welterweight. If many argued how much of a mismatch Pacquiao's last fight against Dela Hoya was, I wonder what boxing fans would think about this matchup. Sure, Pacquiao could give Chavez a beating like he did Oscar, but it would still be a mismatch one way or another.

Given that both Cotto and Pacquiao are promoted by Arum's Top Rank seems logical enough that Arum wants the two slug it out. However, this is not the fight fans want to see.

Mayweather is a boring fighter. He cherry-picks his opponents. He runs around the ring more than he throws punches. And Freddie Roach was spot on when he said that when you fight Mayweather, win or lose, you look bad doing it.

Nevertheless, even with all these negative publicity, Mayweather undeniably still has star-power as well as hate-value that keep fight fans interested in him. And a fight with Pacquiao definitely will pull in more PPV numbers than a fight against Cotto and Chavez combined.

Bob Arum apparently does not want Pacquiao to fight Mayweather for the reason that if the current Pound-for-Pound champ loses to the former Pound-for-Pound champ, Pac will lose the luster he has earned during his one-sided win against Dela Hoya. Pacquiao after all is his Money Man.

But will this really be the case? Other than Paul Williams, Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito, Pacquiao has what it takes to beat Mayweather. And should this fight materialize, it will still be one hell of a fight (all credits to Pacquiao of course).

Mayweather is a boring fighter but he is good at what he does. And if Arum wants Pacquiao to fight anyone but PBF, that makes him no different than the cherry-picker in Mayweather.

Mayweather to Comeback; Still Cherry-Picking?

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Some want it. Some don't. But make no mistake, Floyd Mayweather will come back.The main issue however is who Floyd wants to fight.

Marquez has openly expressed his intention on fighting Mayweather. The winner of the Pacquiao-Hatton fight on May 2 is also being put on the line. And there's Shane Mosley.

Mayweather of course is reportedly asking for a tune-up fight before taking on the bigger fights. Many think that Andre Berto, an undefeated boxer going up in the welterweight ranks, would be perfect for this tune-up fight.

With all these developments, one cannot help but ask why a lot of significant names are not being mentioned. When Mayweather retired on 2007, he said there was no more challenge left for him in boxing. This of course was a lie. A lie that Mayweather knows but made himself firmly believe in.

Miguel Cotto.

Antonio Margarito (who unfortunately is suspended).

Paul Williams.

These names are the biggest names in Welterweight along with Mosley. But Mayweather has continually ducked them opting for safer fights in the older Dela Hoya, the smaller Hatton, and the safety of retirement.

Before Mayweather retired, Cotto was undefeated. He was the man-to-beat. He was a hungry champion. But Mayweather has ducked him straight up while giving lousy excuses. He knows Cotto was dangerous. He would not dare risk his record against him.

Cotto, of course suffered his first defeat in the hands of Antonio Margarito. With his rock-hard chin and hands, Margarito was a feared man. He simply walks up to his opponents straight up and pounds them like a jackhammer on concrete. Its no wonder Mayweather avoids him.

But the biggest name in the welterweight ranks has got to be Paul Williams. At a towering 6'1, williams is an unstoppable force. Height advantage, reach advantage, speed, power, metal chin, and a physique made of molded iron, Williams possesses all the arsenals that make him the best Welterweight.

What these three fighters need to do is go to Mayweather's gym or anywhere else and challenge him straight up in front of many people. This way, Mayweather will have no choice but to accept or risk being exposed of yet ducking these fighters.. in public.

Marquez is too small. Hatton had his chance. Pac could beat him. Mosley is great but old.The real fights are there in his own division. So why look in the lower weights? If Mayweather says he is the best then he should prove himself against the best.

My two-cents worth:
Cotto will give Mayweather a run for his money and take it away.. Margarito will beat him to a pulp.. and Williams will send him back into retirement.