FIGHT promoter Bob Arum says the third ring meeting between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez is not a tough sell, really.
Just the same, Arum and his promotional cohorts that also included both boxers as promotional partners wanted to make sure paying fans will be aware such a match exists and will happen on Nov. 12 in Las Vegas.
A promotional tour dubbed ?25,000-mile four-city World Press Tour? kicked off at the Quirino Grandstand in mid-September, then later on traveled to New York, Beverly Hills and ended in Mexico.
?People have wanted to see this fight. The last two fights there were a lot of questions. This was the perfect opportunity to get those questions settled,? said Arum. ?Marquez is a smarter fighter now, he figures a better way to deal with Pacquiao. Pacquiao is more experienced now and has a right hand.?
In typical Manny Pacquiao press conference fashion, most of the media tete-a-tete was laced with feel good platitudes that really never mattered, thanks to the always exciting performance of Pacquiao inside the ring.
RESPECT IN HURTING. In Manila, Pacquiao?s best one-liner thus far was when he reminded Marquez of their responsibility leading up to the fight.
?I hope he trains hard because I will do the same. I know he is tough and a good boxer so people are expecting a really good fight,? said Marquez.
As expected, Marquez gave his assurance apart from a guarantee of a resounding win against Pacquiao.
?The people here are nice. I thank you all for this warm welcome. But I?m sorry because I am going to beat your hero,? said Marquez.
All in all, it was a festive mood in Manila as the event was capped by an episode of Pacquiao?s game show ?Manny Many Prizes? also at the grandstand.
SERIOUS BUSINESS. Over in New York, the promotional entourage faced a more serious group of boxing writers bent on extracting more technical answers that has something to do with their face-off.
It was ?Arum to the Rescue? as the crackerjack promoter parried any attempt at casting doubt on the competitiveness of the fight especially those who questioned the ability of Marquez.
After their 2004 featherweight draw, Pacquiao escaped with a close split verdict win in 2008 to capture Marquez? World Boxing Council superfeatherweight crown.
Since that time, Pacquiao scored easy wins over the likes of welterweight champions Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Joshua Clottey, Shane Mosley and super welterweight campaigner Antonio Margarito.
Marquez, meanwhile, had tough victories against Joel Casamayor, Juan Diaz twice, and Michael Katsidis.
WORTH THE WEIGHT. Doubts cropped up when Arum was asked about how Marquez will fair in this welterweight encounter when the Mexican?s only 147lb stint had an embarrassing ending.
Marquez looked silly in trying to catch Floyd Mayweather Jr., with the Mexican dropping a one-sided unanimous verdict in their 12-round match held at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.
?The reason he looked bad against Mayweather was not because of the weight. As a counter-puncher by definition, he?s going to look bad against a defensive fighter,? said Arum. ?If you?re a counter-puncher and the other guy is a defensive fighter, what the hell are you going to do? It has nothing to do with weight. It?s all about style.?
After their tour finale in Mexico City, both fighters flew back to their respective training camps.
Pacquiao and Marquez are now in the thick of their preparations, a good selling point that official network HBO is utilizing via their Emmy award winning series ?24/7.?
With that, Arum sees no need to bring out his promotional trumpet as it is only a matter of time before him and all parties involved count their financial blessings on this effortless promotion.
SNAKE?S PIT. Wherever you bring him, just give Donnie Nietes a ring where he can fight and you are guaranteed of seeing a boxer fighting with the confidence of a hometown hero.
If memory serves, Nietes is the only Filipino who has successfully defended his world minimumweight crown four times in Mexico against Mexican hometown heroes at that.
Tomorrow, Nietes will move up in weight as he meets current World Boxing Organization lightflyweight champion Ramon Garcia of Mexico.
The 12-round world title bout is set at the University of La Salle Gym in Bacolod City and will be aired the following day via ABS-CBN.
