Bob Arum is not pushing his Pacquiao panic button. The veteran promoter told Boxiongconfidential.com moments ago that he is fairly certain that the May 2 Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton super bout will push through to a point where contracts are signed.
Arum also revealed to Boxingconfidentinal.com that the MGM Grand will be the site of the 140-pound division fight. The Top Rank honcho said that Pacman and the popular British fighter really need each other.
?What?s Plan B here? I don?t see one unless you talk about Manny fighting Humberto Soto for $2 million. Look, Manny himself was in the loop about splitting all the money 50-50 from the Hatton bout. They didn?t want us in on the British TV money but I battled for it and everything goes to the bottom line for a 50-50 split. I got Manny 50-50 all around.?
The wily promoter rang me up a few minutes after our initial convo to tell me elatedly that Pacman adviser Wakee Salud “is on board. I just spoke to him, he’s a guy Manny really trusts and he said he will try to convince Manny that 50-50 is a great deal.”
Arum blasted Hatton lawyer Gareth Williams for publicly threatening to sue Megamanny based on a contention that demanding a 60-40 split would be in violation of an oral contract.
?That does not help,? Arum said from his Manhattan hotel. ?That?s just stupid. People should really keep their mouths shut and let this play out.?
Arum said that Pacman will wind up making more money than the eight to 10 million dollars he earned for his Dec. 6 victory over Oscar De La Hoya.
?This is why I think Manny will shortly agree to the 50-50,? Arum said. ?It?s so much money. He is getting 50 percent in this fight where he got only 32 percent against Oscar.?
Arum said he burned up the international phone lines Tuesday night to the Philippines and was assured by Pacman adviser Michael Koncz and the lawyer Franklin ?Jeng? Gacal that they could take some sense into the Pinoy idol.
?They told me they will talk to Manny but that he is running some kind of a basketball tournament. They said they will talk to Manny to resolve the issue. Nobody with any halfway sense would tell Manny not to take the fight and the 50-50 deal.?
Some have speculated that Pacquiao might abandon Hatton and look to the British boxer?s in retirement conqueror, Floyd Mayweather Jr. Arum sees nothing imminent when it comes to Pretty Boy.
?They?ve talked to Mayweather?s people and, guess what, Mayweather wants a 60-40 split in his favor,? Arum said.
Arum said no key figure in the Pacman camp was left out of the loop on the 50-50 deal.
?I got agreement as to 50-50 on the phone with Williams and Richard Schaefer and Manny was in Los Angeles so I went there to finalize it,? Arum said. ?I invited Manny to dinner at the Polo Lounge of the Beverly Hills Hotel.
?We had to set up extra tables because Manny brought half of the Philippines with him which is alright with me,? Arum said.
?We went over the whole thing?Koncz was there and so was Gacal?I think Manny went to the bathroom and missed the 50-50 part but certainly they told him about it. I wanted everyone to understand how important the British TV money is. It dwarfs the TV money from the Philippines.?
Tick, tock, the clock is ticking. Now it seems as Pacquiao?s official verdict will be rendered Thursday.
