MANILA, Philippines ? Manny Pacquiao is definitely running for Congress in next year?s elections but even if he wins, it won?t mean the end of his boxing career.
?He?ll be a fighting congressman,? said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum recently. ?Manny could do two fights a year. That means he?ll devote four months in a year to boxing. Manny will take about two months to prepare for each fight.?
Arum, who was exposed to the intricacies of politics as a White House lawyer during the John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson administrations, said it?s not uncommon for an athlete to turn to politics, citing former New York Knicks forward and Sen. Bill Bradley. Another example is WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko who was elected the people?s deputy to the Kiev City Council but lost in a bid for mayor and the Ukrainian parliament in 2006.
Arum, 77, worked with US Attorney General Robert Kennedy from 1962 to 1965 then became the world?s foremost boxing promoter, using his legal background and Harvard education to build a successful business empire with Top Rank as the crown jewel.
After Pacquiao fights Ricky Hatton this weekend, Arum said the Filipino icon will immediately return to the Philippines because of pressing commitments but plans to be at ringside for WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto?s title defense against Joshua Clottey at Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 13.
?Manny and Freddie (Roach) intend to watch Cotto at the Garden,? said Arum. ?Manny?s a very intelligent man. He?d like to evaluate Cotto with Freddie.?
Arum said he saw no difficulty in Pacquiao disposing of Hatton whom he predicted to fall, face first, like David Diaz anywhere between the sixth and ninth rounds.
Arum said at this point in Pacquiao?s career, he should choose opponents who bring incremental value to ticket and pay-per-view sales.
?Boxing is a business,? said Arum. ?Cotto could bring in about 80,000 pay-per-view subscriptions from Puerto Rico where he?s from and that will mean extra revenues of $4 million. He?s popular in New York and a fight between Manny and him at the Garden would be a sellout.?
Pacquiao?s brother Bobby fought at the Garden twice, halting Kevin Kelley in 2006 and losing to Humberto Soto the next year. The late Flash Elorde also saw action twice in the sports Mecca, outpointing Puerto Rico?s Frankie Narvaez on a split decision that triggered a riot and bowing to Carlos Ortiz on a 14th round knockout.
Cotto, 28, has a 33-1 record, with 27 KOs, and his only defeat was to discredited Antonio Margarito, suspended in the US for using hand wraps with traces of plaster of paris. Cotto was a former WBA welterweight and WBO and WBC International lightwelterweight titlist whose victims include Sugar Shane Mosley, Zab Judah, Mohammed Abdulaev and Oktay Urkal.
Arum said Floyd Mayweather Jr. isn?t an attractive opponent. ?He wants 60 percent which isn?t acceptable,? said Arum. ?I can?t see him bringing more to the table than Manny so why should Manny agree to a lesser share? Manny brings in the sales, not his opponents.?
As for WBC lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez who has fought twice against Pacquiao, Arum said the reality is he?s not even popular in Mexico.
?For some reason, the Mexican fans don?t like Marquez,? said Arum. ?I think Mexican fans like Manny more. Against Hatton, I expect a lot of Mexican fans to come out cheering for Manny.?
Arum said after taking care of Hatton, Pacquiao will fight once more this year, probably in late November or early December. His opponent could be Cotto and the venue, possibly Madison Square Garden.
An opponent who might push Pacquiao to the limit is Mosley who at 37, knocked out Margarito to win the WBA welterweight crown last January. Mosley beat Oscar de la Hoya twice and has compiled a 46-5 record, with 39 KOs.
Arum said it?s all about weighing the risk and reward factors that are involved in deciding whom to pit against Pacquiao. ?This isn?t a game,? he said. ?This is a business and we?ll do what?s best for Manny.?
