But as of yesterday, business manager Rod Nazario could not give a firm answer with HBO since the planned meeting being asked by the TV network seems to conflict with the frenzied schedule of the flashy southpaw champion’s film and TV commitments.

"I still have to talk to him tonight. I have to let him know that HBO will not wait for him," said Nazario in a telephone interview.

Nazario said he already informed HBO about Pacquiao’s showbiz commitments and asked for a postponement of the said

MANNY PAQUIAO

meeting to Feb. 22.

"So far wala pang sagot but as I’ve said, hindi mo pwedeng paghintayin ang HBO. There are too many boxers sa US na pwedeng ipalit kay Manny kaya yun ang dapat niyang isipin," added Nazario.

Nazario disclosed that HBO is lining up three potential rivals for Pacquiao in a possible mid-May schedule, namely WBA/IBF featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico, ex-super-bantamweight boss Paulie Ayala of the United States and current WBC 122-lb ruler Oscar Larios, also of Mexico.

Nazario said he prefers to have Ayala as Pacquiao’s next opponent since it will be a much easier fight for the Filipino warrior. Aside from that, the American is perhaps the most marketable among the three boxers in the list.

"I believe that a fight versus Ayala will still give Manny a lucrative purse because hindi din naman malayo ang  status niya compared with current champion Marquez," said Nazario. "Basta kami we won’t settle for anything less than $1-million for Manny’s next fight."

The 33-year-old southpaw Ayala, with a record of 35-2 with12 KOs, is coming off a lackluster 10-round decision over Mexican Edel Ruiz on Nov. 14 in Forth Worth, Texas.

Nearly a year before thrashing Ruiz, Ayala lost a 12-round WBC featherweight title match to then-champion Erik Morales of Mexico in Las Vegas.

On the other hand, the 30-year-old Marquez may well be considered as Mexico’s current superstar since he now leads all Mexican fighters in an ongoing on-line poll conducted by a Mexican boxing website.

Marquez has already garnered a total of 663 votes, or 35 percent, while his closest pursuer, Morales, has 525 votes or 25 %.

A few weeks ago, rabid boxing fans in Mexico expressed their strong desire for any suitable Mexican fighter to avenge the humiliating defeat suffered by their idol Marco Antonio Barrera at the hands of Pacquiao last Nov. 16 in San Antonio, Texas.