By Michael Marley

Nice try, provocateur Ricardo Lois. You’re trying to find a match to light the flame in a public lamp.

Even Stevie Wonder can see your conduct and we all know your motive.

You want to see your former idol, Miguel Cotto, clock Manny Pacquiao so you seize on Cotto’s offhand comments that he might possibly fight the Pinoy Idol.

Yeah, right, and Ivan Calderon might fight Nickolai Valuev also. The Russian Giant and the Boricua Iron Boy is about as likely to happen as Pacman-Cotto is.

Why, you ask? Because Uncle Bob Arum will take Megamanny into protective custody when it comes to that physical mismatch just as he has loudly done so many times when people bring up the possibility of a bout between another welterweight strongman, Antonio Margarito, and Da Pacman.

No one will ever find the requisite flame to ignite a conflagration for Pacquiao-Cotto because of Manny’s promoter’s “good looking out” which certainly would be certified by trainer Freddie Roach.

Pacquiao never mounted the rostrum to proclaim that he is a true 147-pounder, let alone the world’s best at the weight, before or even after he thrashed Oscar De La Hoya.

What Roach said, with his huge megaphone, was that his loyal liege could whip Oscar. The Pacquiao camp has never called out the entire welterweight division.

Thus, there are two excellent reasons Manny is targeting Ricky Hatton.

One, it is another monster payday. Two, if Manny remains focused it could turn into a relatively easy victory. No, it won’t be a De La Hoya cakewalk but, then again, I don’t think Hatton eats reindeer, kangaroo or deer meat the way Oscar’s brilliant nutritionist had the Golden Boy “beefing up.”

Megamanny is the Baddest Little Man On The Planet.

As Lois duly noted, he can’t be counted out against anybody due to his fierce Lapu-Lapu warrior spirit.

But, when the time comes to write the final chapter in the International Fist’s career, I think it’s safe to say his trip to welterweight will be recorded as what it was, a one-time excursion for the Golden Boy Exception.

As for the Mayweather Exception, the scriveners are still composing that one. But, if Manny beats Hatton and Pretty Boy comes calling, you can be sure Uncles Bob and Freddie will greenlight that excursion as well.

As in the case of Oscar, the physical risk will glossed over because of the financial reward. (I can’t wait until Manny demands that he and PBF fight only in Cebu.)

What makes me really laugh is that some of those who will call for Margarito-Pacman and/or Pacman-Cotto are the same folks who derided Manny’s chances against Oscar. They were among the legion who pointed out that Manny had climbed up so many weight classes just to get to lightweight let alone taking on a guy who remained, if nothing else, one of the top five or six 154-pounders extant.

Margarito really is a bridge too far for Manny.  If Cotto comes back to cop some title belts, I’d say the same about him.

Being fearless is one thing while being foolish is another.

Manny Pacquiao and his advisers know the crucial difference.