Pacman eyes Foreman for possible showdown

With the planned superfight with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. already declared off, the camp of Manny Pacquiao is now considering New York-based Israeli champ Yuri Foreman as the his next opponent. In an interview with Fanhouse, Pacquiao’s close associate Michael Koncz said the Filipino ring icon will look at fighting fellow Top Rank fighter Foreman on March 13 or 20 at the MGM Grand or the Thomas & Mack Center “or someone else." “We sat down and watched a little bit of tape on Yuri Foreman yesterday and Manny wanted me to inquire about his exact height, which is a half of an inch taller than De La Hoya," Koncz told the website.

Although not as big a box-office draw as Mayweather, stablemate Foreman makes an appealing opponent for Pacquiao since he holds the WBA junior middleweight title, giving the Filipino a shot at an eighth division crown. Koncz, however, stressed that Foreman is not yet the "chosen one" after the breakdown of mediation for the Pacquiao-Mayweather gig. “Manny hasn't rejected that fight (Foreman), but he hasn't yet accepted it. We're going to sit down - Manny, myself, and Manny's lawyer, Franklin Gacal. We'll try to look at a couple of other options as to fighters and possible opponents, and then we'll relay that to (Top Rank boss Bob) Arum," Koncz told the website. Last ditch mediation to salvage the foundering Pacquiao-Mayweather gig bogged down Wednesday (Thursday in Manila), leading Arum to declare it dead. Projected to be the richest in history, the fight was derailed by disagreement over drug-testing procedures. The Mayweather camp, which has accused Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing substances on his way to the top, has insisted on conducting an Olympic-style dope tests before the fight. The Pacquiao side, though, agrees on urine and blood tests but with a cut-off date so as not to disrupt training. Making matters worse was Pacquiao’s decision to sue the Mayweathers and Golden Boy Promotions executives Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer, who represented the fighter in the negotiations, for defamation over what he felt were baseless accusations of dope use.
According to Arum, Pacquiao agreed to ease his demands on the drug testing window – from 30 days before the fight to just 24 days. He already had his blood taken 24 days before his slugfest with Ricky Hatton as part of the requirements for a Nevada boxing license. Mayweather, however, stood firm on his position. "Manny accepted what was on the table and Mayweather rejected it," Arum said in an interview with ESPN.Com. “(Mayweather adviser Al) Haymon and Schaefer tired to convince Floyd all [Tuesday night] and [Wednesday] and he wouldn't agree to it. He didn't want the fight. He never wanted the fight. I always knew the fight wouldn't happen," he added. Schaefer, though, declined to comment on the fight’s status. “I’m not going to confirm or deny anything. At this point, we have no comment.’’ Schaefer was quoted by The Las Vegas Review Journal as saying. Mayweather is reported to be considering Paulie Malignaggi in place of Pacquiao on March 13. - GMANews.TV