PACQUIAO?S MACAU FIGHT IS OFF
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 04 Jun 2008
The planned title fight between Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao, the reigning World Boxing Council super featherweight champion and WBA champion Edwin Valero in Macau is off.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, in an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports revealed that he had ?a long discussion with the Venetian people ? before a decision was made. He said the problem was that in order to make a Pacquiao fight work which needs to have pay-per-view television , the fights would have to be staged at around 10 or 11:00 a.m on a Sunday morning in Macau.
Arum said ?we won?t be able to attract the high rollers? at that time and as a result they decided to call off the planned Pacquiao-Valero fight in Macau.
However, Arum said he plans an alternate blockbuster of three world championship bouts because Macau ?desperately wants the fights.? Arum disclosed that under his plan ?two of the title fights will involve Filipinos and we?ll do it on a Saturday night.?
He said he plans to have the fights ?televised around Asia and put on in the United States on a small pay-per-view platform? which would appeal to Filipino and Mexican fans. Arum said ?I think it can work and that?s what I?m looking to do.?
The astute promoter said that putting Pacquiao in Macau on a Saturday night with the PPV problem would ?make no business sense.?
Arum mentioned the possibility of having North American Boxing Federation super bantamweight champion Bernabe Concepcion fight Juan Manuel Lopez if the undefeated Puerto Rican beats Daniel Ponce De Leon on Saturday and IBF flyweight champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire taking on WBO super flyweight champion Fernando Montiel of Mexico.
Arum also mentioned the possibility of Z ?The Dream? Gorres figuring in a rematch with Montiel to whom he lost a highly controversial split decision in Cebu in February last year if they can?t do the Donaire fight. Arum said ?there are plenty of guys we can put on.?
Arum said he had spoken to Donaire?s manager Cameron Duncan and even if Gary (Shaw) still has promotional rights I can work something out with Gary in what would be a ?really interesting fight.?
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