There?s a long queue of boxers wanting to fight Filipino superstar Manny ?Pac Man? Pacquiao, but his promoter, Bob Arum, seems more interested in mega fights in view of Pacquiao?s plan to retire after two or three more fights.
?It depends on whether we?re going to do a real big mega fight or just a real good fight,? Arum told reporters during a press conference to announce the Antonio Margarito-Shane Mosley fight next year at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
?If we do a real good fight, we?ll look for guys like Kendall Holt, Timothy Bradley or Lamont Peterson?guys like that,? he said.
?If we?re going to do a mega fight, there are two names that come to mind. One is Ricky Hatton; the other is Floyd Mayweather Jr., so we?re going to see,? Arum added.
For now, however, it appears that Hat ton, who called out the name of Pacquiao after the Filipino icon?s dominant demolition on December 7 of former six-division world titlist Oscar de la Hoya, seems to next in line for Pacman.
Arum said he would sit down with Ray Hatton, manager and father of the popular British brawler nicknamed ?Hitman,? next month to discuss the mechanics of Pacquiao vs. Hatton.
?Until New Year, it?s celebration time for all Filipinos. After that, I?ll sit down with Ray Hatton with the No 1 fight on the drawing board Manny against Ricky at 140 pounds,? he was quoted by The Sun, a London tabloid.
Arum noted that Hatton, 30, has already taken part in one of the biggest grossing non-heavyweight fights?when he pulled in around 13 million pounds for fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr. at welterweight.
Todd DuBoef, the president Top Rank Promotions, was also quoted by The Sun as favoring a showdown with ?Hitman? Hatton.
DuBoef said: ?It?s such a big fight and it would be such a landmark for the sport, a guy from a Third-World island in Asia fighting a hero from the UK.?
Mega crowd
Hatton said he?s open to fighting Manny in Las Vegas, in his hometown in Manchester or even at the sprawling Wembley Stadium in London, which can accommodate 100,000 boxing fans.
?I am in a privileged position as far as the next fight is concerned but everything has to be properly discussed. Maybe it comes across as a bit cocky but I?m not. I?ve done it all as regards the venues I want to fight in,? he added.
?For the biggest crowd, Wembley would of course be in a strong position. I am a big draw in my own right,? Hatton said.
Meanwhile, HBO Sports announced on Wednesday that 1.25 million pay-per-view buys were recorded from last weekend?s ?Dream Match? boxing bout between Pacquiao and de la Hoya.
Mega income
The super fight generated $70 million in revenue, representing the highest performing pay-per-view event in 2008, according to Mark Taffet, senior vice president of HBO pay-per-view.
Taffet said this is only the fourth time in boxing pay-per-view history that a non-heavyweight match has been over the one-million mark.
Boxing writers have said pay-per-view buys in excess of one million in this kind of global recession would be a ?jackpot,? as consumers try to curtail their pay-per-view spending even for big-ticket matches and for other sports.
?Boxing fans across America showed tremendous support for this event and we?re pleased that they tuned in,? Taffet said.
A replay of Pacquiao-de la Hoya will be shown on Saturday at 1:45 p.m. and 10 p.m. (both Philippine times) on HBO in connection with the live heavyweight title fight between Vladimir Klitschko and Hasim Rahman from Mannheim, Germany..
