HOLLYWOOD?No matter the outcome of their Nov. 13 showdown for the World Boxing Council super welterweight crown, don?t expect a rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Margarito Antonio.
Promoter Bob Arum isn?t inclined to hold a Pacquiao-Margarito Part II for the 12-round encounter set at a catch weight of 150 pounds.
?There?s no rematch clause,? Arum told Fanhouse.com during a media day recently. ?I don?t believe in rematch clauses. If the fight turns out to be a one-sided fight (in Pacquiao’s favor) it won?t be saleable.?
But even if Margarito bucks the imposing 6-1 odds and foils Pacquiao’s bid for an unprecedented eighth world title, Arum isn’t inclined to stage a repeat even if the fight card at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, turns out to be a mega-hit just like Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey which lured 50,994 fans last March.
?If Manny concluded that Margarito is just too big and strong for him, why subject him to do it again?? said the 78-year-old Arum, who actually promotes both protagonists.
While Pacquiao, chosen Fighter of the Decade by the Boxing Writers Association of America, is perceived to be faster than Margarito, the Mexican three-time champion towers over the Filipino ring icon by more than four inches and holds a six-inch reach advantage.
Oddsmakers and Arum, however, are baffled that Pacquiao, despite reports of distractions during his training in Baguio City and at the Wild Card Gym here, has been tagged a -650 favorite. This means a bettor has to shell out $650 for Pacquiao to win $100. A
