Bob Arum reveals that 48 million homes watched Manny Pacquiao in China event, and that the boxing legend will judge Miss Universe in January 2015. But Arum believes May 2, 2015, in Las Vegas should feature Mexican fighters.
Manny Pacquiao’s defence of the World Boxing Organisation welterweight crown in Macau, China, in November was watched by 48 million homes in China, promoter Bob Arum has revealed, and he insisted that the proposed May 2 date for Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather is “disrespectful to the Mexican people”.
Arum believes May 2, 2015, is not the best weekend to hold Mayweather-Pacquiao. “May 2, that Cinco De Mayo weekend, is a Mexican holiday. It is a big Mexican-American holiday. It’s a fight date being talked about for Mayweather, Pacquiao, even Cotto, but they’re not Mexicans or even Mexican-Americans,” Arum told The Telegraph.
“The only Mexican who is a draw on that date is Canelo (Saul Alvarez),” added Arum. It has been proposed that Miguel Cotto ? a Puerto Rican ? fights Saul Alvarez in Las Vegas on that date, the same date Mayweather has suggested he would fight Pacquiao.
“I think it’s disrespectful to the Mexican people not to have Canelo fight on their holiday,” Arum added, telling The Telegraph. “I see Mayweather as poaching on a Mexican holiday and being disrespectful to the Mexican people.”
“Everybody agrees with that, except Mayweather. He is putting his ego before respect for people. April or June would be fine for that fight (Mayweather-Pacquiao). What difference does it make?”
Meanwhile, Arum has revealed that Pacquiao’s landslide 12 round decision in the headliner in Macau against the American Chris Algieri ? 119-103, 119-103, 120-102 ? draw a massive viewing audience from mainland China.
“It was a huge success. Forty-eight million homes watched it,” Arum said. “That’s effectively over half the population of the UK. Boxing is becoming a major sport in China. I want to build the audience as much as possible before we even think about pay-per-view.”
The Chinese population were also tuning in for the double Olympic Games champion Zou Shiming, who is now promoted by the octogenarian American promoter. Is Pacquiao a bigger draw than Shiming ?
“That is not the case. They are interested in Manny Pacquiao more than any other international fighter, but it does not surpass or even equal their interest in their own boy Zou Shiming. He is number one.”
Arum will be turned his attention to Pacquiao’s plans for 2015 imminently. “A lot of it is working around Freddie Roach’s schedule (for Pacquiao). He has Zou Shiming March 7 fighting for a title. Then he has Miguel Cotto and he’s got to schedule his fight, probably May 2. So Manny will be either in April or June.”
Meanwhile, Pacquiao is back in action in January ? as a judge ? not of boxing, but of beauty. “The only thing we’re planning with Pacquiao (early in 2015) is that he’s going to be a judge at one of these beauty contests ? Miss World or Miss Universe, the one in Miami, in January,” added Arum.
