For 13 years from 2004 until 2017, Manny Pacquiao figured in several of boxing’s most memorable matches.
Recently retired from the fight game, Pacquiao took on all comers during that period, engaging Erik Morales and Tim Bradley in three action-packed bouts apiece and facing off with all the marquee names who were willing to test him.
Who else could forget that four-fight war with Juan Manuel Marquez that totaled a bruising 42 rounds?
Then came the landmark moment versus Oscar De La Hoya in December 2008 that cemented the Filipino’s reputation as an all-time great.
And even though his promoter Top Rank was a fierce rival of Floyd Mayweather and his chief adviser Al Haymon of Premier Boxing Champions, their much-awaited meeting took place even if the fight didn’t live up to all the hype.
Still, that fight generated an astounding $600 million in revenue.
So, who deserves a pat on the back for all these opportunities?
No other than Bob Arum, the Hall of Fame promoter who always managed to pull out a rabbit from a hat when Pacquiao was still aligned with his Las Vegas-based company.
“Bob Arum had a major participation in Senator Manny Pacquiao’s success in the ring,” declared two-time world champion Gerry Peñalosa, a bosom buddy of the eight-division champion.
I do agree with Peñalosa’s perspective.
So it didn’t come as a surprise that when Pacquiao delivered his pre-recorded farewell speech last week, he made special mention of the Harvard-educated lawyer from Brooklyn for his massive contributions.
I saw for myself how Arum built up Pacquiao from an ambitious puncher with not-so-good connections into a global icon under his watchful eyes.
Not only did I cover all these fights at ringside to know the length of Arum’s influence.
I was also there when Paquiao roamed around the United States during numerous multi-city press tours, hopping inside private planes, staying in stylish hotels and meeting bigwigs along the way. Our typical itinerary was Manila-Los Angeles-New York.
There were a few times, too, when we included San Francisco, Dallas, Mexico City and Macau to the schedule.
One time, we wound up taking an Amtrak (Acela Express) from Pennsylvania Station right in the heart of New York City for the trip to Washington, D.C. for the visit to the White House.
Arum, who worked during the Kennedy administration, had friends in high places and he did wonders in enabling Pacquiao to personally meet Senators Harry Reid of Nevada and John McCain of Arizona.
In Las Vegas one time, Pacquiao met with former President Bill Clinton.
Arum is a master storyteller and I didn’t mind listening to him all day long during those trips.
Being a true blue New Yorker, it was great hearing him speak with that famous drawl.
He had lots of epic stories but those I will narrate in a future column.
