by Ronnie Nathanielsz

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum can't attend the biggest boxing event in years at the sprawling Cebu Sports Center on Saturday when Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire defends his WBO super bantamweight title against No. 4 ranked former Hungarian Olympian Zsolt Bedak because of a bad back.

Arum - who is promoting the exciting fight card titled "Its About Time" - reportedly hurt his back during the third fight between eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao and Timothy "Desert Storm" Bradley which Pacquiao won handily after dropping Bradley once in the 7th round and once again in the 9th.

There were scant details on how Arum hurt his back forcing him to cancel the long flight from Los Angeles to Manila with a connecting flight to Cebu.

ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer and ABS-CBN Sports consultant Peter Musgni said it was unfortunate that the leading promoter in the world won't be able ro attend  the final press conference on Thursday at the Waterfront Hotel and the official weigh-in the following day and the fights themselves.

Donaire who is determined to put on a show for the fans and go after a knockout in every round worked out at the plush Robinson's Galeria before a huge crowd of boxing fans on Sunday afternoon. at the Cebu City Sports Center on April 23.

Donaire shadow boxed, worked on the punch  mitts with his father/trainer Nonito "Dodong" Donaire Sr and was applauded when he taught some kids kids the basics  of boxing and posed for photos to the delight of mall goers.