Top Rank requests MGM for Nov. 10 'Pacquiao event'

Eight-division titlewinner Manny Pacquiao will apparently fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Nov. 10, but the question remains just who will be in the opposite corner?

Pacquiao's promoter, Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, and the fighter's advisor, Michael Koncz left Los Angeles on Aug. 6 for the Philippines, where Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 knockouts) is said to be considering return bouts with either newly-crowned WBO welterweight titleholder Tim Bradley (29-0, 12 KOs), four-division titlewinner Juan Manuel Marquez (54-6-1, 39 KOs) or three-division titlewinner Miguel Cotto (37-3, 30 KOs).

"Top Rank requests the date of November 10th, 2012 for a Pacquiao event at the MGM Grand on HBO PPV vs. t.b.a.," read an e-mail to RingTV.com from Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Arum and Koncz have reportedly indicated that they could announce Pacquiao's next opponent as early as this week.

Bradley could get another shot at Pacquiao after winning by controversial split-decision in June to end Pacquiao's 15-bout winning streak that included eight stoppages.

Arum has hinted that Pacquiao might seek to face Marquez rather than a contracted return bout against Bradley. Marquez lost by disputed majority decision in November to Pacquiao, against whom he had battled through a draw and a split-decision loss previously.

Already the WBA junior welterweight titleholder, Marquez rebounded from the loss to Pacquiao with April's unanimous decision over Sergei Fedchenko for the WBO's interim junior welterweight belt.

Cotto is coming off a unanimous decision loss to five-division, eight beltwinner Floyd Mayweather Jr., who added Cotto's WBA junior middleweight belt to the WBC welterweight crown he already owned in May.

Cotto had scored three straight stoppage victories since losing by 12th-round knockout to Pacquiao in November of 2010, including December's 10th-round stoppage of Antonio Margarito to avenge the first loss of his career.

Photos by Chris Farina, Top Rank

Lem Satterfield can be reached at lemuel.satterfield@gmail.com