By Lem Satterfield
Top Rank CEO Bob Arum expects to have a deal in place for Manny Pacquiao's next fight by the end of the week. Arum has already been in contact with the management of WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto, and scheduled negotiations to discuss the Pacquiao fight with the team of Antonio Margarito.
"I'm going ahead. I talked to the Cotto people [on Monday]. I'm talking to the Margarito people [today]. By the end of the week, I'll have a deal," Arum said.
Pacquiao will return on November 13. The fight could take place in Abu Dhabi or Mexico. In the case of Margarito, the fight would happen at 154-pounds for the vacant WBC junior middleweight title. Arum says there are big financial advantages for Pacquiao, and Top Rank, to stage the fight outside of the United States.
"If Manny fights outside of the United States, it's free of the U.S. tax because it's not income generated from services in the United States. The advantage to fighting in Abu Dhabi is the money," said Arum. "It's assured money. They [Abu Dhabi] would take the risk on the pay-per-view."
Lem Satterfield is the boxing editor at AOL FanHouse and the news editor at BoxingScene.com. To read more from Lem Satterfield, go to AOL FanHouse by Clicking Here.
