INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines--Forget about the planned Manny Pacquiao-Edwin Valero showdown on Nov. 8 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

For now, it's Mexican Humberto Soto who has the inside track on fighting the Filipino ring icon on Nov. 15 at Planet Hollywood.

Top Rank president and Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum made the sudden turnaround due to perceived delays in the acquisition of Valero's medical records from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Valero, the WBA super featherweight titlist, is only cleared to fight in Texas and needs medical clearance to fight in Las Vegas.

In an interview with Philboxing's Ronnie Nathanielsz , Arum said it would be a lot easier to arrange a Pacquiao-Soto duel since he also handles Soto, who figured in a controversial battle against Francisco Lorenzo in the under card of the Pacquiao-David Diaz tiff for the WBC lightweight crown on June 28 in Las Vegas.

Soto, who roughed up Lorenzo in that bout only to be disqualified for allegedly hitting the Dominican Republic native at the back of his head when he was down, carries a 47-win, 7-loss, 2-draw record spiked with 28 KOs.

The WBC has yet to rule on the bout, although Lorenzo is barred from fighting until December because of the bad cuts and broken nose he sustained against Soto.

Pacquiao has a score to settle with Soto, who knocked out his younger brother Bobby in 2007.