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Bob Arum and his bride, Lovee, are finishing up a la dolce vita, Italian Rivera holiday but the fight promoter was in big press conference form when I spoke to him Wednesday afternoon.
Obviously, since he handles Manny Pacquiao, my first questions were about the status of Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Arum has heard about Mayweather's dropping an item to gossip and celebrity maven Robin Leach that the undefeated fighter would soon be announcing his next fight date and opponent and that the site would be not the sands of Clark County, Nevada, but those of Dubai.
“I've got no clue on that,” Arum said. “But I think I know who is making this offer to Mayweather and, if you knew, you would be laughing your ass off.”
I don't mind laughing my camel off but my ass is another matter. I pressed Arum for a name or names but he held firm.
Somehow, after we hung up, the name of Murad Muhammad came quickly to my alleged mind.
So I took a different tack and asked if Arum has heard about Don King's public proclamation, his verbal olive branch extended to Mayweather adviser Al Haymon and Golden Boy's Richie Rich Schaefer.
Arum views that the same way I initially did, as a sign that all King is getting from his dalliances with promotional free agent Mayweather in Florida and St. Louis is happy chatter and not anything substantial leading to Lil Floyd signing with Big Don.
“To me, that is a show of weakness,” Arum said. “That is not Don King's style but, again, who knows what Mayweather is really doing or not doing?”
On another front, Arum said he would sort out the seemingly confused state of the proposed Dec. 4 showdown between Boricua ****er Miguel Cotto and Mexican star Julio esar Chavez Jr.
Despite some rumors, Arum emphasized that Chavez and his trainer Freddie Roach emphatically want to take Cotto on before the year ends.
“They are not reluctant, to the contrary, I spoke to them and they want Cotto. Before I left, the fight was agreed to in principle but we need to discuss the actual deal.”
Arum stressed that Chavez is more than ready to step up his game against the well regarded Cotto.
It's been a dry year in terms of big fights for Arum's hometown of Las Vegas and, with the Antonio Margarito-Manny Pacquiao bout going to Cowboys Stadium, the Nevada drought will continue.
But, Arum said,, he is looking to either Madison Square Garden or Vegas to host Chavez-Cotto.
So Leach and Mayweather met where the surf meets the turf at Del Mar, north of San Diego, but Arum is traipsing around Portofino and environs.
I ask, among the three, who really knows how to live out “champagne kisses and caviar dreams.”
The other guys stay domestic but, Uncle Bob, he's the international jet setter.
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Obviously, since he handles Manny Pacquiao, my first questions were about the status of Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Arum has heard about Mayweather's dropping an item to gossip and celebrity maven Robin Leach that the undefeated fighter would soon be announcing his next fight date and opponent and that the site would be not the sands of Clark County, Nevada, but those of Dubai.
“I've got no clue on that,” Arum said. “But I think I know who is making this offer to Mayweather and, if you knew, you would be laughing your ass off.”
I don't mind laughing my camel off but my ass is another matter. I pressed Arum for a name or names but he held firm.
Somehow, after we hung up, the name of Murad Muhammad came quickly to my alleged mind.
So I took a different tack and asked if Arum has heard about Don King's public proclamation, his verbal olive branch extended to Mayweather adviser Al Haymon and Golden Boy's Richie Rich Schaefer.
Arum views that the same way I initially did, as a sign that all King is getting from his dalliances with promotional free agent Mayweather in Florida and St. Louis is happy chatter and not anything substantial leading to Lil Floyd signing with Big Don.
“To me, that is a show of weakness,” Arum said. “That is not Don King's style but, again, who knows what Mayweather is really doing or not doing?”
On another front, Arum said he would sort out the seemingly confused state of the proposed Dec. 4 showdown between Boricua ****er Miguel Cotto and Mexican star Julio esar Chavez Jr.
Despite some rumors, Arum emphasized that Chavez and his trainer Freddie Roach emphatically want to take Cotto on before the year ends.
“They are not reluctant, to the contrary, I spoke to them and they want Cotto. Before I left, the fight was agreed to in principle but we need to discuss the actual deal.”
Arum stressed that Chavez is more than ready to step up his game against the well regarded Cotto.
It's been a dry year in terms of big fights for Arum's hometown of Las Vegas and, with the Antonio Margarito-Manny Pacquiao bout going to Cowboys Stadium, the Nevada drought will continue.
But, Arum said,, he is looking to either Madison Square Garden or Vegas to host Chavez-Cotto.
So Leach and Mayweather met where the surf meets the turf at Del Mar, north of San Diego, but Arum is traipsing around Portofino and environs.
I ask, among the three, who really knows how to live out “champagne kisses and caviar dreams.”
The other guys stay domestic but, Uncle Bob, he's the international jet setter.
link