Philippines, 17 Jan 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


ARUM GIVES ABU DHABI TWO DAYS TO DECIDE


PhilBoxing.com



Abu Dhabi.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has given Manny Pacquiao?s adviser Michael Koncz who was meeting with individuals claiming to be representatives of The Royal Family in Abu Dhabi, two days to find out whether the announced offers are real.

Koncz who arrived in Manila from the US and turned around and grabbed a flight to Abu Dhabi to continue negotiations for a possible Pacquiao-Margarito showdown in the United Arab Emirates although Arum remains skeptical of the deal pushing through despite Koncz? optimism.

One of Pacquiao?s assistant trainers who also doubles up as a cook, Nonoy Neri, has also gotten into the act by telling the Gulf News he is 90 percent certain the fight will push through in Abu Dhabi although he has no role at all in the talks. Pacquiao has made it known that he?d love to fight in the U.A.E because of the number of Filipinos working in the region who could get a chance to see him in action.

Koncz for some inexplicable reason didn?t answer numerous phone calls and didn?t even want to admit he was in Abu Dhabi while Arum told us it seemed like a possibility ?only in the mind of Koncz? offering to buy him a drink if the deal pushes through.

Arum has indicated that odds are the Pacquiao-Margarito fight will take place at the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas and expressed confidence that the Texas Commission would license Magarito to fight.

While Koncz himself disclosed after initial meetings with the Abu Dhabi group along with Arum in the US that a package deal worth a huge amount of money was on the table, the added come-on was that Pacquiao?s purse would not be subject to withholding tax unlike in the US. Arum told Lem Satterfield of FanHouse.com that the Abu Dhabu venue was fine and that he had been told that the Royal Family would attend the fight.

In fact with low ticket prices and the huge Filipino workforce in the region Arum said that he had learned the venue can hold between 60,000 to 70,000 fans. But Arum noted that with the huge Mexican population and Pacquiao having endeared himself to the people of North Texas the almost 51,000 fans that Pacquiao drew for his fight against Ghana?s Joshua Clottey last could balloon to 70,000 or more in Dallas.


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


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • RAUL “EL CUGÁR” CURIEL CRUISES TO UNANIMOUS DECISION WIN OVER JORDAN “THE PATRIOT” PANTHEN
    , Sat, 17 Jan 2026
  • Weights from Philadelphia
    , Sat, 17 Jan 2026
  • Mexico Commemorates 12th Death Anniversary of Don Jose Sulaiman (Photos)
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 17 Jan 2026
  • MOLLY McCANN EYES 'HUGE' STATEMENT START TO 2026 AS SHE JOINS BUMPER WOOD-WARINGTON CARD IN NOTTINGHAM ON FEBRUARY 21
    , Sat, 17 Jan 2026
  • NEW MAIN EVENT ANNOUNCED! RAUL CURIEL SCHEDULED TO FACE JORDAN PANTHEN IN MIDDLEWEIGHT SCRAP
    , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • SMALLS VS RAMOS TOPS STACKED UNDERCARD FOR NAVARRETE-NUNEZ BLOCKBUSTER IN GLENDALE
    , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • Usyk Linked to Zuffa Boxing Deal as Questions Loom Over Title Defenses
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • Abass Baraou: "No One Has Been Able to Withstand My Pressure!"
    , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • Wise Owl Boxing Signs Rising Female Star Chantel “Chicanita” Navarro
    , Fri, 16 Jan 2026
  • Mauricio Sulaiman: WBC wants to protect fighters' dream of becoming a world champion
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 15 Jan 2026
  • Xander Zayas: "It's Time to Make History!"
    , Thu, 15 Jan 2026
  • Weights from Trenton, NJ
    , Thu, 15 Jan 2026
  • Pro Boxer and Recent Grad Returns for Fight Night on the Farm — Celebrating Stanford’s Boxing Community
    , Thu, 15 Jan 2026
  • Jamaine Ortiz Aims to Derail Keyshawn Davis’ Undefeated Streak at Madison Square Garden
    , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • “No bad blood from me”- Good friends become better rivals – Clarke is ready for Cruiserweight title Clash March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
    , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • Itauma suffers injury; Magnificent 7 rescheduled to March 28
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • Top Super Lightweights Bryan Flores & Starling Castillo Battle in 10-Round Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’
    , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • Harden surpasses Shaquille O'Neal's to become the ninth all-time leading scorer in NBA history
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 14 Jan 2026
  • “It’s time, LFG” - Holly McMath Trilogy for WBC Title Clash March 13 in Perth – Thunderdome 53
    , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • IBA President Kremlev encourages sporting organisations to protect women’s sport following Trump’s statement on Imane Khelif
    , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • REYES, STRICKLAND, BUSTAMANTE & SOUQUET SET FOR HISTORIC SHOWDOWN AT WNT LEGENDS – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
    , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • Pumicpic fights Korean in Japan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • No. 1 rated WBA Super Flyweight contender John “Scrappy” Ramirez remains patient and Looks forward to a 2026 World title shot
    , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • Ironman 70.3 Davao on March 22
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 13 Jan 2026
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 12 JANUARY 2026: Dalton Smith Halts Subriel Matias in 5; Kabayel Stops Knyba in 3
    By Eric Armit, , Mon, 12 Jan 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.