In Top Rank chairman Bob Arum’s opinion, Manny Pacquiao’s presence at ringside will be a big factor in motivating younger brother Bobby to beat WBC No. 2 superfeatherweight contender Humberto Soto of Mexico in their scheduled 10-round bout at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 9.
But Arum, who left the country late Sunday after a four-day visit, said the odds are heavily stacked against Bobby in scoring an upset.
“The betting is 80-20 for Soto,” said Arum. “But Michael (Koncz) thinks Bobby has a 50-50 chance of winning because he’s training very well for the fight. Despite the tall odds, you can’t discount Bobby pulling off an upset. Manny’s presence will be a big boost for Bobby.”
Koncz, one of Manny’s closest boxing advisers, arranged Bobby’s fight through Top Rank. He said oddsmakers didn’t give Bobby much of a chance to beat former world champions Carlos Navarro, Carlos Hernandez and Kevin Kelley but the General Santos City slugger delivered each time.
Arum said he will accompany Manny to receive the “Fighter of the Year” award from the Boxing Writers Association of America in a testimonial dinner at the Copacabana Club in New York City the night before the Bobby-Soto fight. He also plans to join Manny in the International Boxing Hall of Fame parade of champions and enshrinement rites in Canastota the next day. Then, Arum will take Manny to Washington, D. C., in a private plane to meet Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada and several US congressmen the Monday after.
Arum said his fourth Philippine trip since the “Thrilla In Manila” in 1975 was the most exciting of all.
“I’ve been involved in politics since 1960 when I participated in President Kennedy’s campaign but I’ve never experienced anything quite like the way Filipino politicians campaign,” he said.
“Never in my life have I seen candidates so exuberant and the people so excited. It’s an experience I’ll carry with me the rest of my life. I’ve never before seen close up how Filipinos conduct electoral campaigns. I think it’s fantastic.”
Arum said last Thursday, he joined Manny in five different rallies at night. He arrived from the US that morning and after a long day, hit the sack at the East Asia Royale Hotel in General Santos City at 2 a.m. Arum was up at 9 later that morning for another round of rallies.
Arum said he has no preference as to whom Manny fights next but listed Marco Antonio Barrera, Joan Guzman, Edwin Valero and Soto as candidates. The choice is up to Manny, said Arum.
If Valero is picked, Arum said a likely venue is the new 17,000-seat arena to be finished in September in Macau as a central part of the Venetian Hotel complex. He said there will be 3,500 more hotel rooms added to the 3,500 existing rooms to accommodate fans visiting Macau for the proposed fight.
