PACQUIAO-RIOS BEVERLY HILLS PRESSCON REPORT
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 09 Aug 2013
Beverly Hills, CA -- Top Rank Promotions with international impresario Bob Arum leading the charge, held the final world tour press conference for the November 23rd Manny Pacquiao-Brandon Rios fight just hours ago today (August 8th LA Time) at the swank Crystal Ballroom of the Beverly Hills Hotel this city. They even served Chinese food complete with a silver plated fortune cookie as a give-away.
True to form, the Los Angeles sports press corps together with other international media folks came in full force. As it was always been with Top Rank events, it was a classy gathering of the ?who?s who? in the boxing media.
The next time the international press will have another chance to get anything close to today?s event will be at the last presscon on fight week in November in Macau.
Since Pacquiao won?t be fighting in the US anytime soon (at least that?s what is being reported) the well-attended event today may have been the last time members of the US-based press corps had a face to face dialog with the Filipino boxing idol for year 2013 in US soil.
Pacquiao previously indicated that severe tax levies from the US makes no sense to fight in the US anymore thus, no more fights and US press conferences, at least for now.
Pacquiao and Rios had a long run of press conferences in Asia and in this country leading to their fight. They hit up Macau, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, and New York?s China Town in an obvious attempt to entice the Chinese market before they came to Beverly Hills.
Pacquiao indicated that he will be training back in his own gym in General Santos City, in the southern Philippines. He will be training with his old buddy Buboy Fernandez and Freddie Roach.
However, Roach will be late coming to the Philippines owing to the fact that he is now training Miguel Cotto for Cotto's October 5th fight against Delvin Rodriguez in Florida. Roach, I am sure will never miss an opportunity to train the Puerto Rican hotshot, even if 8-division world champion Pacquiao has to wait. It?s good for his long resume. Besides, that?s just how the fight business goes.
Recent reports indicate that the old Team Pacquiao may no longer be intact for the fight with Rios. According to one, Pacquiao said Alex Ariza ?was fired by Freddie Roach?. Apparently, it?s because Ariza ?tried to do everyone?s job but his own?. With that, Miguel Diaz would not work with Manny as his cutman because of Ariza.
Thus it maybe safe to say that Ariza may no longer be the conditioning coach/nutritionist at least for the Rios fight.
Then reacting to the said statement, Ariza, according to Philboxing.com writer Ronnie Nathanielsz made the following statement- ?How can Freddie fire me when I don?t work for him??
Roach confirmed the reports that he ?fired? Ariza and will seek the expertise of a specialty medical group from nearby Orange County to manage the ?cramps? that Pacquiao suffered in his last fights.
In addition, he also stated that he will take care of the conditioning and strength programs of Pacquaio.
However, he did not specify how he will manage to do that when he will be coming late to GenSan and will only have a month to work with Pacquiao owing to his work with Miguel Cotto.
As to who will handle that job until Roach arrives in GenSan is still a mystery as of this writing. But as Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri had mentioned to this writer on several occasions in the past, they can do the job as well (?Kaya rin naming yan?) referring to Pacquiao?s conditioning and nutritional regimen.
Pacquiao (54-5-2,38KO) and Rios (31-1-1,23KO) are both coming off of losses but that does not seem to affect the early predictions from Top Rank that the fight at the 15,000 seat Cotai Arena at the Venetian Resort Casino in Macau on November 24rd (Nov 23rd in the US) will draw tremendously in China both in terms of live audience and PPV.
A large PPV number in China may not be too far fetched as it was said it will cost a mere US$5.00. In addition, PPV may be available for mobile hand-held devices as well.
Top Rank folks are hoping world boxing fans as well as foreign high-rollers will fly in from all points of the planet and savor the ambiance of the latest craze in Macau (big time boxing) and witness the fight live in company of the newly minted Chinese boxing fans.
They particularly expect well-heeled Filipinos to be there too to support the Filipino boxing hero as they can fly to Macau from Manila or Cebu for less than $400.
Of course that goes without saying that Filipino politicians and folks from the GAB as well as certain show-biz people will also be present. They could always pay for their own fares or maybe join the traditional Air Pacquiao charter plane as free-loaders if Pacquiao decides to get one.
In addition, Arum announced that there will be a special fare rate for the media from the US. It will be $1500 RT with 7 days hotel. They will also take care of the food at the press room.
Those who can not make the trip, particularly the North American boxing fans can see the fight live on HBO PPV on prime time. The fight card in Macau will be done in the mid-morning hours Macau-time to accommodate the said fans.
But certainly, not for five bucks!
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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