Manny Pacquiao's October 6 date is still up in the air, but there are only two possibilites, and one of them hinges entirely on the reported semi-truce between Top Rank and Golden Boy materializing enough that the companies can work together on a huge pay-per-view event.
If the Top Rank/Golden Boy feud truly ends (or at least is worked around) then the October 6 date in Vancouver will see Pacquiao defend against Barrera in the main event for an HBO pay-per-view event. It's the fight Barrera wants before he retires, as he attempts to avenge his 2003 loss to Pacquiao, when he was blown away and knocked out in the 11th round. A return bout would likely not go any better for Barrera, who isn't as good as he was four years ago, while Pacquiao is markedly better.
But if that fight can't be worked out, Bob Arum and Top Rank will go ahead with the current plan to pit Pacquiao and Humberto Soto, a fight that both guys badly want. Soto is chomping at the bit for the fight, and Pacquiao wants to get a measure of revenge for his younger brother, Bobby.
In other fight news:
The Ricardo Torres/Kendall Holt fight for Torres' 140-pound title went to a purse bid that was surprisingly won by Colombian Billy Chams, who wants the fight for September 1 in either Colombia or Miami. Top Rank (whose $168,000 bid was beaten by Chams' $181,000) had planned to put the fight on the Erik Morales lightweight title bid pay-per-view on August 4, and are trying to work with Chams to keep it there.
Allan Green will return to the ring on July 13 on Friday Night Fights. He was originally scheduled to face ESPN2 star Samuel Miller, but Miller pulled out with a leg injury. If Green wins, he'll take on the busy Peter Manfredo, Jr., in October.
Miguel Cotto and Top Rank plan on fighting Antonio Margarito later this year, so long as Margarito beats Paul Williams on July 14. If Williams wins, Cotto will face Kermit Cintron (provided Cintron wins on July 14 against Walter Matthysse) or Joshua Clottey. Arum did say that the fight he wants is Shane Mosley on pay-per-view, another potential matchup that would hinge on the Top Rank/Golden Boy relationship. Arum also all but rules out the possibility of Cotto/Mayweather, which we all may as well.
The notly-anticipated Vernon Forrest/Carlos Baldomir junior middleweight fight on July 28's Boxing After Dark will take place in Tacoma. Yes. Tacoma.