Top Rank Sets Aside November 12 Date for Next Pacquiao Fight

Jhonny Gonzalez of BoxingScene.com reports that Top Rank has set aside a November 12 date for Manny Pacquiao's next fight, with Juan Manuel Marquez still the leading candidate.

Marquez plans to fight again in July to get sharp, having last fought in November in a win over Michael Katsidis on HBO. Pacquiao, of course, has to get by Shane Mosley tomorrow night, but with that being considered by most all but a sure thing, Top Rank has already made a large offer for Marquez. If Mosley does win, expect a Pacquiao-Mosley rematch in November.

The offer sent to Marquez is, one can assume, about the same as what brought Mosley from Golden Boy Promotions into the fold to fight Pacquiao. Marquez is not currently under contract to Golden Boy, but they reserve the right to match any offer he gets, and they are reportedly going to try doing just that by offering Marquez a fight with young Mexican star Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. And there is, at this time, no hope of Top Rank and Golden Boy promoting together again, as Bob Arum recently and quite emphatically stated that Pacquiao will never face another Golden Boy fighter, citing their defamation lawsuit against Golden Boy as the defining reason.

All signs are pointing to Pacquiao-Marquez III in November, barring a Mosley miracle tomorrow night.