By Michael Marley
A genuinely optimistic promoter Bob Arum said said on Friday night that he is "convinced" that Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao have the same ambition concerning their next fight.
"I dont want to mislead anybody as anything concrete being discussed or decided," Arum said. "We still have these (investor) groups and I'm sorting through their offers and I imagine that Floyd is doing the same on his end.
"But I am really convinced at this point that Floyd wants to fight Manny next and Manny wants to fight Floyd next. When you have two fighters wanting do the fight, in my experience that's when a fight can come together quickly."
Bubbling Bob continued his theme of the two fighters seeking the same destination.
"Nobody's putting up any barriers to doing this fight right now. As far as these offers, we've seen a lot smoke but no fire. But the lines of communication are open," Arum said.
The Top Rank bossman, who had to miss Pacman's 33rd birthday bash in Gensan (agent Michael Koncz and trainer Freddie Roach were attending) due to his wife Lovee's successful surgery in Denver, remarked on the amiable relationship that TR president Todd duBoef, Arum's stepson, has with Mayweather. It's long been known the two Las Vegans sometimes see each other on the trendy social circuit in their city.
"Todd's gone to Aspen for the holidays and Floyd, I think, is back East but separation by distance means nothing today with modern communication, with Twitter and all the rest," Arum said.
"Todd really likes Floyd and Floyd really likes Todd, that's obvious."
Arum said a key difference in the respective camps is how they are structured.
"It's just different. I'm Pacquiao's promoter and I have Manny under contract. Floyd has no manager and no promoter, at least in terms of being under contract. If somebody comes along and waves a lot of money at Floyd, maybe he would change this...I don't know but I guess he would have to consider that.
"If someone is coming along and waving a lot money, says to Floyd, 'We don't want (Al) Haymon and we don't want Golden Boy involved,' then Floyd would decide that. My point is that Floyd is not under any managerial or promotional contract."
Arum said he would likely go to the Philippines in January to be on the scene when Pacquiao does a major commercial for the Hennessy cognac brand.
The promoter said he may have a detailed financial Super Fight package to go over with Congressman Pacquiao by then.
Old warhose Arum is more optimistic now than ever about making Mayweather-Pacquiao happen in 2012.
"No barriers." You heard the man.
