ARUM OPTIMISTIC OVER PACQUIAO-MAYWEATHER FIGHT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 07 Jun 2010
Despite the confusing signals from the two camps, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum says he is ?optimistic? that a planned megabuck fight between pound-for-pound king and ?Fighter of the Decade? Manny Pacquiao and undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr will happen.
Arum told us that despite Mayweather Jr?s recent statement on tnelevision that he plans to take one or two years off from boxing ?I?m optimistic. What his statement was I don?t understand. Everybody is saying that Mayweather Jr?s statement doesn?t reflect his real plan.?
The astute promoter said ?I am sure that will come clear this coming week? even as Arum admitted that communications with the Mayweather camp was still going on.
At the same time Arum disclosed that as far as Miguel Cotto?s future is concerned following his 9th round TKO victory over a gallant but badly crippled Yuri Foreman on Sunday, ?a lot will depend on whether Mayweather-Pacquiao is made. If that happens them I will probably put Cotto in with either Antonio Margarito or Jesus Chavez Jr, depending on how Chavez? June 26 fight (against John Duddy) comes out.?
Referring to the fight card at the state-of-the art $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium in the Bronx in New York, promoter Arum said ?it was a great, great evening . The venue was fantastic and Manny (Pacquiao) and his wife Jinkee had a great time.? The Pacquiao family left for Mexico the morning after the fight as guests of well-known promoter Fernando Beltran who was seated at Pacquiao?s table during the Boxing Writers Association of America?s gala dinner last Friday.
Pacquiao was presented with the prestigious ?Fighter of the Year? award by former winner and world heavyweight champion ?Smokin? Joe Frazier and received the coveted ?Fighter of the Decade? award from BWAA president Jack Hirsch.
Arum also indicated that the future of Yuri Foreman who hurt his knee badly in round seven and hobbled around the ring was uncertain. He said ?we will have to see what the damage to his right knee and find out whether he has to have an operation or whatever. He had an MRI so we don?t have any plans for him until we figure that out.?
Arum said it was unfortunate what happened to Foreman but said quite philosophically ?well that happens but he was very courageous.? At the same time Arum said that before Foreman was injured he thought ?the fight was even.?
Pacquiao who watched the fights intently from a ringside seat with wife Jinkee and Arum said before Foreman was injured he thought the fight was even.
Respected TV boxing analyst Moy Lainez felt that before the injury to his knee effectively crippled Foreman whose ability to move and slip the punches of Cotto was hobbled, Foreman appeared to have the edge in a very close fight although there were many Filipinos, including Cotto?s new trainer Emmanuel Steward who felt Cotto was winning handily and would have knocked Foreman out even if he wasn?t injured.
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