By Bill "Two Scoops" Emes
Artie Pelullo of Banner Promotions, who handles WBO junior welterweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov (23-2, 16KOs), loves the idea of facing Manny Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38KOs), the WBO champion at 147-pounds, in the fall.
Later tonight, Provodnikov will defend his title for the first time against undefeated Chris Algieri at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Pacquiao is scheduled to return on November 22nd, likely in Macau, China.
"[Pacquiao is] a great fight for Ruslan, it's a great fight for the fans. People will perceive and believe that Ruslan can win, which will then drive up the pay-per-view numbers," Pelullo told BoxingScene.com.
"They are talking about Pacquiao, they are talking about Mayweather, they are talking about Danny Garcia. He is in the mix, and his biggest problem is - is that he can beat everybody, so what makes [the Pacquiao] fight a fight that everybody wants to see is because [Provodnikov] is TV friendly. And then we have to convince people that it's a money fight for everybody. That's the business side of it."
Both Provodnikov and Pacquiao are trained by Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California. Roach told BoxingScene in a recent interview that he plans to side with Pacquiao - if the two boxers agree to face each other. Pelullo has no problem with Roach's position on the fight.
"He should [side with Pacquiao], rightfully so. That's the right thing to do. Pacquiao is fortunate that Freddie trains him. We're fortunate that Freddie trains him. But for them not to meet, financially, it's not good. So if Freddie has to choose [on who he will train], I get it, that's called loyalty - but let the fight happen, let everybody earn, and you have to be where you have to be and that's the corner of Manny Pacquiao," Pelullo said.
