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I just spoke to Manny Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum as he disembarked from his flight from New York to hometown Las Vegas.
The Top Rank major domo said he knew “nothing” about Sunday’s suprising announcement that the Juan Manuel Marquez-Floyd Mayweather HBO PPV bout of July 18 has been canceled.
“You know more than I do,” Arum said. “We were a half hour outside Vegas when I got (text mail) word from Todd (DuBoef, TR’s president) about the announcement. Did you ever hear of such a boxing announcement coming on a Sunday? I never did.”
The abbreviated press release from “Money May” promoter Golden Boy claimed the cancelation is due to an unspecified “rib injury” the former Pound For Pound king suffered in training.
I asked Arum point blank if he had any communication from the Goldens indicating that they would push Juan Ma to the side in order to put Mayweather directly into the Super Fight against Pacman.
“No, none, nothing along those lines,” Arum said without hesitation. “No such indication at all from anybody.”
Arum did say he got his Manny marching orders from the Pinoy Idol himself when they sat at ringside Saturday night at Madison Square Garden after Top Rank charge Miguel Cotto retained his WBO welterweight crown by holding off Joshua Clottey on a split decision.
“Manny told me what to do,” Arum said. “Manny told me, ‘Go ahead, make that fight.’ So it will go Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand here in Vegas.”
What with Cotto’s badly cut left eyebrow area, I asked if that might cause a date delay.
“No because it’s not that bad. Miguel is delighted to get a fight against Manny, trust me. Miguel very much wants this fight. It will be a sensational fight the way they attack.”
As far as the explosive, arena-shaking ovation more than 17,000 fans gave Pacquiao when Michael Buffer introduced him, Arum said the fighter was thrilled.
“Manny really enjoyed and like that,” Arum said. “He was impressed by Cotto’s fan support and told me it reminded him of how the British fans stand with Ricky Hatton.
“I had a lot of fun sitting there with Manny. His reception in New York showed that he has moved to a new level of popularity and success. Manny is really an international star in boxing right now and you saw that.”
The Top Rank major domo said he knew “nothing” about Sunday’s suprising announcement that the Juan Manuel Marquez-Floyd Mayweather HBO PPV bout of July 18 has been canceled.
“You know more than I do,” Arum said. “We were a half hour outside Vegas when I got (text mail) word from Todd (DuBoef, TR’s president) about the announcement. Did you ever hear of such a boxing announcement coming on a Sunday? I never did.”
The abbreviated press release from “Money May” promoter Golden Boy claimed the cancelation is due to an unspecified “rib injury” the former Pound For Pound king suffered in training.
I asked Arum point blank if he had any communication from the Goldens indicating that they would push Juan Ma to the side in order to put Mayweather directly into the Super Fight against Pacman.
“No, none, nothing along those lines,” Arum said without hesitation. “No such indication at all from anybody.”
Arum did say he got his Manny marching orders from the Pinoy Idol himself when they sat at ringside Saturday night at Madison Square Garden after Top Rank charge Miguel Cotto retained his WBO welterweight crown by holding off Joshua Clottey on a split decision.
“Manny told me what to do,” Arum said. “Manny told me, ‘Go ahead, make that fight.’ So it will go Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand here in Vegas.”
What with Cotto’s badly cut left eyebrow area, I asked if that might cause a date delay.
“No because it’s not that bad. Miguel is delighted to get a fight against Manny, trust me. Miguel very much wants this fight. It will be a sensational fight the way they attack.”
As far as the explosive, arena-shaking ovation more than 17,000 fans gave Pacquiao when Michael Buffer introduced him, Arum said the fighter was thrilled.
“Manny really enjoyed and like that,” Arum said. “He was impressed by Cotto’s fan support and told me it reminded him of how the British fans stand with Ricky Hatton.
“I had a lot of fun sitting there with Manny. His reception in New York showed that he has moved to a new level of popularity and success. Manny is really an international star in boxing right now and you saw that.”
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