Arum:Cotto-Pacquiao Will Far Exceed Mayweather-Marquez and Could Approach 2.2 million

Wishful thinking? Promoter Bob Arum believes Pacquiao-Cotto could approach the record 2.2 million pay-per-view buys that Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jr. did in 2007. The Mayweather-Juan Manuel Marquez fight in September did a little over 1 million. “This will far exceed Mayweather-Marquez,” he said as Cotto was finishing up his workout. “We’re hoping it approaches the 2.2 million De La Hoya-Mayweather did. The interest is so great and it’s a competitive fight. C’mon, 2.2 million? “That’s what the cable systems and DirecTV and Dish Network are predicting,” Arum said. “There’s no tracking yet. We can tell by the amount of money and resources that have been thrown into this. We’re anticipating those kind of numbers.” Arum said Cotto brings in about 400,000-500,000 buys mostly from hardcore boxing fans, Puerto Ricans and other Latinos. The rest, he said, will be the result of Pacquiao’s growing popularity. “Manny Pacquiao is bigger than life,” he said, “They’re intrigued by Pacquiao. He’s unlike any boxer they’ve ever seen. The guy keeps getting better as he goes up in weight. The guy has so many talents outside of boxing –- politics, music, everything. People just can’t get enough of him. He’s really crossed over into the mainstream. “What fighter in recent years ever dreamed of getting his picture on the cover of Time magazine? His picture will be on the Asian edition of Time. That never happened with De La Hoya or Mayweather.” Arum said the sports editor of the New York Times told him he’ll be covering the fight himself. “And the New York Times,” he said, “hasn’t covered a fight in five years.” Must be a big fight. http://www.ringtv.com/blog/1279/cotto_confident_only_three_fights_after_margarito_beating/