MGM GRAND HAS THE EDGE TO LAND PACQUIAO-MAYWEATHER FIGHT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 07 Dec 2009
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum believes that at this point the MGM Grand has the edge in the bid to land the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather fight for the ages on March 13 although Dallas Cowboys owner Gerry Jones is vying for the right to stage the multi-million dollar fight at the new state-of-the-art $1.2 billion Cowboys stadium in Dallas, Texas.
New Orleans which initially evidenced interest in a bid to stage the fight hasn’t contacted the promoters in the last few days. However, Arum said “if they are still interested they’ll contact us and we (Arum, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer and Ross Greenberg of HBO) will make a visit to New Orleans which is not too far from Dallas” which the trio will visit on Wednesday to meet with Jones.
Asked who he felt was the front-runner, Arum replied “I’ll have to say its Las Vegas because the fighters, most of their big fights have been in Las Vegas, it’s a great climate to do a fight but this is professional boxing and money talks.”
Arum clarified “if we get an incredible offer from Dallas and Jerry Jones then it will be incumbent upon Las Vegas to match it or come close.”
The astute Top Rank promoter noted that “the best weekend that they (Las Vegas) have had in months was the weekend of November 14 when Manny fought (Miguel) Cotto. The town was packed. There was a great buzz and when its around a boxing match the people come in. There is something subliminal about the fact that they spend a lot of money, not as much on the gambling but in the best restaurants, the nightclubs and they buy clothing so they had a phenomenal weekend and they know this fight will be even bigger.”
Arum said also that “many people coming to the fight would want to stay in the new city center because architecturally its such an incredible edifice.”
(L-R): Nathanelsz, Dyan Castillejo and Arum at the New World Renaissance Hotel in Makati last week.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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