Veteran promoter Bob Arum will go all out in supporting Manny Pacquiao in becoming an efficient politician should he succeed in his congressional bout today.
Arum arrived in Manila Thursday morning from Las Vegas and immediately flew to General Santos City to lend whatever support he can give to Pacquiao.
According to Arum, he has already scheduled a June 11 meeting for Pacquiao with some of his friends in the United States Senate and Congress.
“It will all depend in the next 24 hours but I’m optimistic. I think he’s going to win,” said Arum in a telephone interview with BusinessMirror.
Arum said he had a grand time observing the way politics is done in the country.
“To see politicians sing and dance is really something,” said Arum.
Pacquiao is up against incumbent South Cotabato Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio in a congressional battle that may also be considered as “the other national election” owing to the media attention it has generated for weeks.
Also part of Arum’s plan is to bring Pacquiao to the David Letterman Show, one of the top late-night shows in the United States.
Arum said the group of Letterman has asked him if they can “schedule Pacquiao” to grace the show. Last December when he and Pacquiao announced their promotional union, Arum said he would make Pacquiao one of the biggest boxing stars of his time.
Thrilla in October
ARUM was able to sit down with Pacquiao the other night to briefly talk about boxing.
Filipino lawyer Franklin Gacal and American agent Mike Koncz joined Arum and Pacquiao in the meeting at the boxer’s comfy mansion in General Santos City.
Koncz revealed they agreed to tentatively set on October 6 the date of Pacquiao’s next outing and that New York, Vancouver and Macau have been mentioned as possible venues.
Arum mentioned several names as possible Pacquiao foes although it was apparent he still cannot confirm the availability of the boxers he stated. He named World Boxing Organization (WBO) 130-lb champion Joan Guzman, former three-division world champion Marco Antonio Barrera and the promoter’s own ward Humberto Soto.
Guzman and Barrera are widely known to be fighting under Arum’s bitter promotional rival Golden Boy Promotions (GBP).
Arum, however, said he had initial talks with the camps of Guzman and Barrera and learned that both have no rock-solid deal with GBP.
Guzman is also promoted by Sycuan Ringside Promotions, the El Cajon-based outfit which still has major control over Guzman’s promotional dealings.
In talking with the Barrera camp, Arum disclosed that the Mexican’s long-term promotional deal with GBP concluded some time last year and has since worked with GBP on a per-fight basis.
Arum smells victory
ARUM is confident he will eventually win his legal battle against GBP on the promotional rights over Pacquiao.
Arum said they already won several legal arguments against GBP in the past.
“We’ve won five battles in this litigation and we’ve won them all going away. So the result down the road is inevitable,” revealed Arum.
GBP twice failed to get an injunction to stop Pacquiao’s bout versus Mexican Jorge Solis last April 17 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Pacquiao’s bout with Solis went off the ground as the Filipino fighter won an emphatic eight-round stoppage.
Arum, who said it would do the sport more harm than good if they continue the litigation, concluded that he is willing sit down with GBP executives to work out an effective settlement on the matter.
