TOP RANK chief Bob Arum wants to turn Manny Pacquiao?s popularity and charisma into tons of greenbacks.
Arum is so convinced of the Filipino fighter?s drawing power that the 76-year-old boxing promoter will make the most out of Pacquiao?s lengthy stay in the US as an opportunity to promote his March 15 rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez.
Speaking from the highend Mexican resort of Cabo San Lucas, Arum told the website 15rounds.com that Pacquiao?s decision to report for training at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood will make it easier for him to generate more interest even among nationalities other than Filipinos and Mexicans.
“The advantage of him (Pacquiao) being (in the States) for two months gives us the opportunity to promote him to a wider audience than just to Mexicans and Filipinos because we?ve been hampered by his coming over (to the States) the week before the fight,” Arum, referring to the late arrival of Pacquiao in the US for the Oct. 6, 2007 rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera, said.
“I didn?t look at this fight as anything more special than the (Erik) Morales or Barrera fights, but it?s created a teremdous buzz with the Mexicans down here in Mexico now that?s all they?re talking about is that fight. I will have a lot of opportunities to do a lot of promotions with Manny that aren?t Filipino and Mexican-motivated. I am going to have him on a lot of shows just so more people know who he is,” the New York-born Arum said.
If Pacquiao indeed decides to start training with Freddie Roach at the Wild Card by the middle of this month, Arum is confident that the rematch will generate 500,000 pay-per-view buys. Pacquiao has done 350,000 to 400,000 in his fights with Morales and Barrera.
Under the promotional agreement he signed with Top Rank, Pacquiao gets a sizeable share of the PPV sales apart from getting a hefty paycheck.
Pacquiao spent the holidays with his family in Las Vegas and is set to return to Manila tomorrow morning.
If Pacquiao prevails against Marquez, who he battled to a 12-round draw in May 2004 in Las Vegas, Arum will set him up with a crack at the World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight (135 lbs) title of David Diaz in June or July and against British toughie Ricky Hatton in November at 140 lbs.
