The Hall of Fame boxing promoter Bob Arum took time out to discuss current events in the boxing world?
BoxingInsider: Top Rank is doing fantastic business these days with Pacquiao, Donaire?
Bob Arum: ?Yeah, we?re really busy. Nonito really came through last week. He?s going to be a force in boxing for years to come. He?s another one of these guys that can go up in weight, he can go up at least as far as 130, 135 pounds.?
BoxingInsider: What are your future plans for Manny Pacquiao? How do you see it playing out from here? What is the ultimate plan?
Bob Arum: ?After each fight we take a good look to see if Mayweather?s going to be available. If he is, that?s the fight we want. If he isn?t, we go to the next option. So probably the guy who would be next would be Marquez probably. Berto isn?t doing anything for his reputation fighting junior welterweights. I mean, he?s going to beat Ortiz but so what. And there?s nobody around that is interesting like Marquez, with the one exception ? and if Mayorga happens to beat Cotto, Manny and Mayorga would be a very sellable fight. But I don?t see Mayorga beating Cotto. So that?s pretty much, if Mayweather isn?t there then Marquez would be our #1 choice.?
BoxingInsider: Do you remember the first time you met Manny Pacquiao? Did you ever imagine this would develop into what it has?
Bob Arum: ?No. He was the opposition. The first time I met him he was fighting Erik Morales for the first time. I only got to really know him from that Morales series.?
BoxingInsider: What was your first impression of meeting Manny and seeing him?
Bob Arum: ?Well, he had no command of English. I knew he was a very good fighter but he was a one-dimensional guy, he?d go in and try to hit you with the left hand if he could. The improvement in Pacquiao from that time to now is almost unbelievable.?
BoxingInsider: Are you giving Odlanier Solis a chance to upset Vitali Klitschko?
Bob Arum: ?Yeah, I give him a real good chance. You gotta remember, the fighters who were on the Cuban national team, who learned their boxing from Cuban trainers, have a leg up on most fighters because they got the best training in Cuba, better than anything in America. The only ones that are close are some Eastern Europeans. Cuba training is the best. Now if Solis was fighting Wladimir, I?d feel a lot more confident. But he?s fighting Vitali and even though Vitali isn?t as talented as Wladimir, he?s a harder guy. He?s a real hard guy. I like Solis in the fight. It?s going to be very tough to defeat Vitali. But if anybody can do it, it?s Solis?
BoxingInsider: Where do you think boxing would be in America if Manny Pacquiao never put the gloves on?
Bob Arum: ?Well, it certainly wouldn?t have reached the prominence that it has because of Pacquiao ? where U.S. Senators and the President of the country receives him. I couldn?t see that happen with any other fighter. So he?s more than just a fighter. And I think boxing has to take advantage of Manny?s presence in the sport as long as it lasts.?
BoxingInsider: Were you there with Manny Pacquiao and President Obama?
Bob Arum: ?No. I was in Washington. I was there in the Senate, the whole thing in Harry Reid?s office. And later in the press conference. But the President wanted to limit those he would see. So it wouldn?t look like he was sponsoring a commercial endeavor. So the only ones that went to meet him were Manny and Jinkee, his wife.?
BoxingInsider: Miguel Cotto, if he gets by Mayorga, what are potential plans for him?
Bob Arum: ?I think he would fight in July in a rematch with Margarito. And then if he gets by that and Chavez is able to beat Zvib, then I like to match Miguel and Chavez and then he would be going for the fourth title ? a feat no other Puerto Rican has achieved.?
BoxingInsider: Cotto vs. Margarito sounds like a potential stadium fight. That could be huge.
Bob Arum: ?The owner of the Giants who are co-owners of the Meadowlands with the Jets have already begun to talk to us about doing the fight July 16.?
