Negotiations are still underway for newly crowned World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight king Manny Pacquiao and Edwin Valero to meet head-on in November but Top Rank big boss Bob Arum is more than optimistic that everything should be signed, sealed and delivered within the next two weeks.

“I’ve been talking with (Teiken Promotions president) Akihiko Honda” Arum told the Bulletin yesterday from Las Vegas and that they are on the same page as to the planned Nov. 8 showdown between Pacquiao, the world’s pound-for-pound king and Valero, the much-touted Venezuelan gunslinger.

The 76-year-old Hall of Fame promoter said he sees no reason why a match-up will not take place since not only because “Manny likes to fight Valero” but boxing fans are likewise fascinated seeing Pacquiao take on a fellow hard-hitter like the 26-year-old Valero.

Arum said that while Ricky Hatton’s name keeps coming out, tops on the priority list right now is signing Valero, the reigning World Boxing Association super-featherweight titlist, for Pacquiao in a certified box-office and pay-per-view blockbuster.

“Hatton has a signed contract to fight (American) Paul Malignaggi and we are looking at a fight for Pacquiao against Hatton for next year but Malignaggi could beat Hatton,” said Arum.

Honda, who promoted Mike Tyson’s two fights at the Tokyo Dome, said over the weekend that “Valero will follow Pacquiao at lightweight.”

Pacquiao said he doesn’t have in mind anyone in particular right now but made it clear that he is not worried about facing either Hatton at 140 and even the brash Valero in a defense of his WBC lightweight championship.

“I will fight whoever my promoter thinks is the best for me,” said Pacquiao, 29, who is expected to arrive in Manila from Los Angeles at 5:45 a.m. via Philippine Airlines. “My job is to fight and not to look for fights.”

The last couple of years, Valero and Pacquiao have been exchanging verbal jabs in relation with the quality of each other’s opposition with the Filipino at one time describing Valero’s long list of knockout victims made up mostly of tricycle drivers.

Valero, who is presently vacationing in Venezuela, holds a 24-0 win-loss record with all 24 wins by way of knockout, including 19 in the first round.

Valero is banned in the US except in the state of Texas owing to a failed medical test that took place in New York but Arum is positive that the state of Nevada will soon follow the move by Texas to license him.

“We will put this fight (Pacquiao-Valero) in Las Vegas,” said Arum, who disclosed that if Valero is unable to get a go-signal in Nevada, “we will go to either Houston or San Antonio.”