Arum Skeptical of $38M Offer to Bring Pacquiao-Khan to the UAE

By Keith Idec

If the offer of $38 million from investors in the United Arab Emirates is legitimate, Bob Arum will happily promote a Manny Pacquiao-Amir Khan fight there this spring.

The Hall of Fame promoter is very skeptical, according to ESPN.com.

Arum has heard many times from organizers in unusual locations that typically don’t host boxing matches. Virtually every time, they fail to deliver the money promised and the fights wind up taking place elsewhere.

If the people Pacquiao’s adviser, Michael Koncz, is dealing with in the United Arab Emirates do deliver on their $38 million promise, the Filipino superstar will fight England’s Khan either in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. Arum, meanwhile, has been negotiating with Australian promoter Duco Events to bring a Pacquiao-Jeff Horn fight to Brisbane, Australia, Horn’s hometown.

“I’m a practical man,” Arum told ESPN.com on Wednesday night. “The money in Australia wasn’t anywhere near $38 million. What do I know? We live in an alternative reality world. I don’t know what the story is. If the $38 million is real, it trumps the Australia deal. If it’s real, we will assist putting on the event. But I am not holding my breath, and I’m not making plane reservations.

“We’ll see what we see. If the $38 million comes up, the fight will take place, and we’ll all be happy. And if it doesn’t, there will be one guy who won’t be surprised.”

Arum didn’t specify how the $38 million guarantee would be divided among Pacquiao and Khan.

Pacquiao (59-6-2, 38 KOs) announced via Facebook and Twitter on Wednesday night that he is negotiating with Khan (31-4, 19 KOs) to fight the former IBF/WBA 140-pound champion next (https://www.boxingscene.com/pacquiao-announces-he-negotiating-with-khan-next-fight--113879).

Arum also told ESPN.com that the targeted date for the Pacquiao-Khan fight in the United Arab Emirates, May 20, won’t coincide with one of Pacquiao’s breaks from his full-time position as a senator in the Philippines.

“May 20 is a non-starter,” Arum said. “The senate in the Philippines is in session then. Maybe in April or maybe June, but not May.”

The target date for the Pacquiao-Horn fight was April 22 (April 23 in Australia). That deal, at least for now, appears to have fallen apart.

“The Australian deal is not going to happen now,” Arum said, “because Manny is trying to get a fight done in the United Arab Emirates, and the people there favor him fighting Amir Khan.

“Whether it will happen or not, I just don’t know, because they have to come up with a large amount of money. Manny seems to believe they will come up with the money. I have some reservations whether it will happen or not. If the money comes up, I will aid and abet the fight happening. But right now, I’m not holding my powder. I really don’t know.”

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.