BATTLE WHERE TO HOLD THE PACQUAIO-MAYWEATHER FIGHT ON
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 25 Nov 2009
Only the initial moves to make the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight a reality has started and yet another battle, this time on the place where the mega-encounter will be held had just begun.
As earlier reports had it, Las Vegas if, of course interested being the sites of several Pacquiao?s and Mayweather?s fights and so are Dallas, New York and New Jersey.
New Orleans became the newest city to express interest in hosting what is expected the money mega-fight as reports said James Carville, ex-U.S. President Bill Clinton?s former consigliere, has already spoken to Bob Arum of Top Rank and HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg for the purpose.
The proposed venue for the fight, according to Carville as told to nola.com, is the New Orleans Superdome which can house as many crowd as 70,000.
"There is an incredible narrative here," Carville was reported as saying. "This fight could signal a rebirth for boxing in the city of New Orleans, Carville added.
?We could have one together. I told Ross Greenburg to please tell Bob Arum that whenever this happens, we would be interested in making a proposal" he said.
The message, the reports added, was passed and talks took place, and Arum is, in fact, interested.
"Louisiana has a much smaller tax," Arum, was in fact, quoted by Fox Sports, as saying.
Carville was also reported as talking to the governor about getting a (tax) waiver.
Local officials Dallas, in signifying their intention to bid, want to bring the fight to Cowboys Stadium, which could hold more than 100,000 for a boxing event.
And for reason that there would be no tax involved in bringing the fight to Dallas, Top Rank is believed willing to seriously consider that option.
Las Vegas is making a serious run as well. Arum is in touch with a Vegas-based group that is willing to build a temporary outdoor stadium to hold 30,000 people.
With these developments, other cities are expected to also make attempts to host the fight between the present pound-for-pound king and holder of seven belts sin sevens weight divisions and the former P4P best.
Arum has been contacted by representatives from Staples Center, Yankee Stadium, the Meadowlands and Citi Field. New York and New Jersey, but because of the high tax involved in those cities, it is held unlikely that their offers will receive serious consideration.
New York, in particular, charges state, city and also non resident contractor taxes on anyone working inside the city. Meaning, according to Arum, up to 15% of the revenue of the bout could be lost. Given that this is one of the biggest fights of all time in terms of money being generated, that would run Mayweather and Pacquiao into a several million dollar pay cut.
This article also appeared in Philippine Gazette
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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