Philippines, 02 Apr 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


ARUM WORKING ON DALLAS VENUE DEAL FOR PACQUIAO-CLOTTEY TITLE


PhilBoxing.com




Top Rank promoter Bob Arum was scheduled to fly to Dallas on Sunday (Manila Time) to meet with Jerry Jones, owner of the $1.2 billion Dallas Cowboys stadium which is the likely site for pound-for-pound hero Manny Pacquiao?s WBO welterweight title defense against Ghana?s Joshua Clottey on March 13.

Arum said he was flying to Dallas ?to get the stadium venue deal done? even as he mentioned that Clottey ?is on board and Manny I believe is on board from what Michael (Koncz) told me so I think we?ll have that fight on the 13th.?

Even as he prepared to finalize details of the Clottey fight which will serve as an alternative since Floyd Mayweather Jr refused to accept the compromise offered by Pacquiao on the issue of random blood tests, Arum described as ?very interesting? a story by Scott Heritage that came out on Examiner.com.

In the story Heritage claimed it came to light that Floyd Mayweather Jr has used ?injectible pain killers such as Xylocaine in the past before fights? and that the irony is ?this drug is illegal in nearly all states with one notable exception, Nevada.?

Heritage said that perhaps the reason for Golden Boy and Mayweather not wanting to fight in Texas now becomes clear and that with the extensive testing Mayweather asked for, he would test positive for a banned substance if the fight took place in Dallas.

Mayweather apparently used these drugs because his hands are rather brittle and he has broken both several times in the past and with a numbing agent to stop his hands hurting he could throw punches more often and without fear of hurting himself as much.

Heritage said that after all the negotiating trouble and accusations about Manny Pacquiao and his supposed steroid use ?it appears that Mayweather is the one taking widely banned substances.? The sportswriter claimed that the disclosure will ?further damage the already shaky reputation of Mayweather who has seen his public opinion fall greatly with the drug testing debacle which, Heritage contends, ?has now backfired severely.?

Arum claimed Mayweather ?hoodwinked his own people because he never wanted to fight. Otherwise he would have gone along with the 24 days that Manny magnanimously agreed to. That was the compromise.?

Mayweather?s handlers said after the talks collapsed and former federal judge Daniel Weinstein said they couldn?t agree, that they had put forward an offer of a 14-day cutoff for the blood tests. Arum conceded that they ?put it forward on December 31. We contacted Manny and Manny rejected it and we told them it was rejected. Then at the conference they tried to put it forward as a compromise but we had already rejected it.?

Arum charged the Mayweather camp of ?trying to hoodwink the media? and that the idea was not conveyed to Pacquiao. He said they had emailed the proposal to Pacquiao?s adviser Michael Koncz and he spoke to Pacquiao and subsequently informed Arum that Manny turned it down and ?we let them (Mayweathers handlers) know that it?s a no go.?

Arum said that the Pacquiao-Clottey showdown should be ?a good fight because Clottey is a good fighter.?

The Top Rank promoter said that Clottey put up a very good fight before losing a split decision to them WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto but believes that Pacquiao ?is way too fast for him. But it?s a good fight for Manny and certainly for fans watching the fight, it?s a better fight to watch than Manny and Mayweather? even if it won?t approximate the Mayweather fight in terms of public interest.

Asked whether there is a chance to revive negotiations and get the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight done later in the year in either September or November, Arum replied ?we?ve been discussing that with Manny and Michael and our people. If it comes about, right from the get go no more nonsense, no more appeasing Mayweather. If you want to fight, we are the champions, we?ll fight. You?re the challenger. The money can be the same but sign on the dotted line and all of these issues about drug testing and blood testing and all this nonsense is for the Nevada State Athletic Commission to decide.?

Top photo: The Dallas Cowboys Stadium.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Santiago-Taniguchi Final Presser
    , Wed, 01 Apr 2026
  • Jimuel in Action on Friday!
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 01 Apr 2026
  • “Rumble in the Une” Makes History in Union City with Star-Studded Fight Card Headlined by Jacob Macalolooy
    , Wed, 01 Apr 2026
  • Is Floyd chickening out?
    By Joaquin Henson, , Wed, 01 Apr 2026
  • Bacaro to challenge Toyoshima on April 4
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 01 Apr 2026
  • IBA steps forward as potential organiser for Bivol vs Beterbiev trilogy bout
    , Wed, 01 Apr 2026
  • PBF president Almario dies
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 01 Apr 2026
  • Portland Trail Blazers have new owner after $4.25 billion sale
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 01 Apr 2026
  • PH chess wizard seven-year old Noah Lucas Palcis finishes second in Bangkok chess
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 01 Apr 2026
  • 2 Time World Champion Marcos Maidana Confirmed for Ninth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Cinco De Mayo Weekend, Saturday May 2, in Las Vegas
    , Wed, 01 Apr 2026
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 30 MARCH 2026: Itauma Destroys Franklin in 5; Fundora Dismantles Thurman in 6
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 31 Mar 2026
  • Panamanian WBC Judge Jesus Aleman murdered in Panama
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 31 Mar 2026
  • ‘I won’t be holding anything back! – Big Bad Bazley challenges The Pilgrim Ryan Williams for Heavyweight title May 29 in Perth – Thunderdome 54
    , Tue, 31 Mar 2026
  • ZAYAS AND BOOTS CLASH IN UNIFIED BLOCKBUSTER AT BARCLAYS CENTER, BROOKLYN ON JUNE 27 – LIVE AND EXCLUSIVE ON DAZN PPV
    , Tue, 31 Mar 2026
  • Manny Pacquiao Promotions Announces Full Card to Join Taduran Vs. Perez on Friday, April 3, at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. Live on ESPN Knockout
    , Tue, 31 Mar 2026
  • 13-0 prospect Marco Romero hasn’t lost a Fight in nearly 7 years and he’s only 20
    , Tue, 31 Mar 2026
  • WORLD ELITE SUMO ANNOUNCES NEW DATE – SATURDAY, MAY 16 – FOR LIVE PROFESSIONAL SUMO EVENT AT PRUDENTIAL CENTER
    , Tue, 31 Mar 2026
  • Filipino boy, 15, wins US chess meet
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 31 Mar 2026
  • 60 Years of Top Rank: Bob Arum’s First Fight Launched a Boxing Empire
    , Mon, 30 Mar 2026
  • Lebron James and son Bronny make NBA History
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Mon, 30 Mar 2026
  • Bryan Acosta Wins WBA Continental Americas Featherweight Championship with Unanimous Decision over Ronny Rios in Main Event of ProBoxTV from Thunder Studios in Long Beach
    , Sun, 29 Mar 2026
  • Filipino boy, 9, wins in Canada chess meet
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 29 Mar 2026
  • Vagabov and Ziyaev crowned champions at IBA Bare Knuckle 4 in Saint Petersburg
    , Sun, 29 Mar 2026
  • Sherwin Tiu captures Kamatyas Open Chess crown
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 29 Mar 2026
  • Fundora vs Thurman: Can Keith Thurman Shake Off The Rust?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 28 Mar 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.