MP wants Matthysse, Arum says, no can do

Manny Pacquiao wants a big name opponent for his next fight but his promoter Bob Arum insists a clash with Argentine jawcracker Lucas Matthysse is not possible.

"I want Matthysse," Pacquiao told the Bulletin during a break in his Senate duties Tuesday afternoon.

Matthysse crowned himself as the new WBA welterweight king after knocking out Thailand's Tewa Kiram in Los Angeles last Jan. 27.

Lured by Matthyyse's all-action style and his WBA 147-lb crown, Pacquiao feels a showdown with the 35year-old South American puncher promises to become not only a box-office draw but something that will pump him up.

"This is the fight that I like...a fight fans would also like to see," Pacquiao, 39, said. "I can fight in April or even May."

Pacquiao lost a disputable decision to Jeff Horn in July last year in Brisbane, Australia.

Matthysse is under contract with Oscar Dela Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) while Pacquiao is with Bob Arum's Top Rank Inc., who is now targeting a Pacquiao appearance in Las Vegas on April 14 on the same night Horn risks his World Boxing Organization welter title against Terence Crawford.

Speaking to boxingscene, Arum yesterday brushed off Pacquiao's wish to face Matthysse and instead dangled a name everyone's been hearing about all along: former world champion Mike Alvarado.

Arum swears he is about to get a deal in place for the Horn-Crawford and Pacquiao-Alvarado doubleheader.

"We're making progress on it," said the Top Rank chief.

Denver-based Alvarado (38-4 with 26 KOs), like Pacquiao (59-7-2 with 38 KOs), also fights under Arum while Matthysse (39-4 with 36 KOs) is aligned with GBP.

After his title win, Matthysse said he would like to face Pacquiao next.