Arum, King may save ‘The Fight’

MANILA, Philippines—Promoters Bob Arum and Don King, despite a tempestuous relationship, have been responsible for some of the biggest fights in boxing history, including the historic “Thrilla in Manila.”

They just might be the ones to save the biggest fight in ages.

Arum and King believe they can sew up a bout between pound-for-pound champion Manny Pacquiao and undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. in as little as two hours—with a catch.

King has to seal the deal that makes him Mayweather’s promoter.

Arum recalled King calling him some time ago to sat “believe me if, I end up (promoting Mayweather), you and I will make a deal in maybe two hours.

“Maybe it will take a weekend but we’ll make a deal,” Arum replied.

Rick Reeno of boxingscene.com reported that King planned to meet Mayweather Jr. soon to continue discussions on a possible working relationship.

King said he had spoken to Mayweather, who called to wish him a happy birthday, and insisted he could generate more money for “Money” than anybody else and added “I can make the Pacquiao fight with Bob Arum in a blink of an eye.”

Arum earlier told the Inquirer Mayweather was not to blame for the failure of negotiations with Pacquiao, where HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg acted as the go-between.

“What happened was these people were talking with HBO and Mayweather was never on board,” said Arum. “He never really wanted to do (the Pacquiao) fight this year.”

Meantime, Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz spoke briefly with Antonio Margarito as they sat at ringside in Tijuana, where Margarito and his wife supported Jackie Nava, who claimed the WBC female super bantamweight title with a 4th round TKO of Maria Andrea Miranda.

Margarito told Koncz he was “looking forward to the fight with Pacquiao.”

Both Arum and Koncz expressed confidence that Margarito will be licensed by the Texas Commission for the planned Nov. 13 bout for the vacant WBC light middleweight title at the Cowboys Stadium.

This despite the fact that the application submitted by the lawyers of Margarito to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation was flawed.

Public Information Officer Susan Stanford told the Inquirer that they had received an application from Margarito but noted that “a faxed application is considered an incomplete application because a check for the licensing fee must accompany the application.”

Stanford said the Texas Licensing and Regulation department was “under the impression that an application and a check for the licensing fee is in the mail but has not been received by the department’s financial services division yet.”

Ronnie Nathanielsz, Philippine Daily Inquirer