IT will cost reigning world bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. and Golden Boy Promotions for that matter, a pricely sum if and when both parties decide to push through with the projected title fight of the Filipino-American fighter on May 28.
Top Rank Promotions chairman Bob Arum warned of a possible financial backlash against the two in the light of Golden Boy Promotion CEO Richard Schaefer?s admission that the scheduled May bout of Donaire will go on, kicking off his first fight under the promotional outfit owned by boxing great Oscar De La Goya.
Top Rank originally booked the 28-year-old champion for that particular date, but the sudden transfer of Donaire to Golden Boy has put a cloud of uncertainty on the staging of the bout.
With Arum elevating the case to court, the 79-year-old promoter doubts if ever Donaire would be able to climb the ring two months from now.
?I don?t think that is going to happen. We?ll see what the judge rules,? said Arum prior to departing for the U.S. Thursday afternoon after staying in the country for three days to check on Manny Pacquiao?s training for his May 7 title fight with Shane Mosley.
?But if they go ahead with it, damage would gonna be huge.?
Donaire and his wife Rachel accused Top Rank of breach of contract for its failure to follow the three-fight per year clause included in the three-year deal the World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) 118-lbs champion signed with Arum, a clear violation that led them to transfer to Golden Boy instead.
Arum, however, countered that in effect, Donaire still has one year remaining in the contract, since he was not allowed to fight by boxing regulators on two occasions ? one by six months and the other, by four months ? owing to repeated injuries he suffered in his hand.
Obviously offended by what the Donaires did to him, Arum decided to elevate the case to the court.
?Litigation is taking place. There?s no turning back,? said the Harvard-schooled promoter. ?It?s unfortunate. I don?t want to argue the case here in the press. That doesn?t do any good. But just the same, we?re confident in our position, very confident.?
Arum is particularly annoyed with Donaire?s wife, whom he believes is the one influencing the boxing champion from making unnecessary decisions, so much so that even if the Filipino fighter will be the one who?s going to talk to him, he?ll have no time listening to what he will be saying.
?I have no desire to talk to them. There?s nothing to talk to them about. My lawyers will handle it from now on. I have to move on to other things,? said Arum.
Unlike Top Rank?s bread and butter, boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao, Arum admitted Donaire still has to catch the imagination of boxing fans ? even the Filipino audience for that matter.
?That?s where the real money is (Pacquiao). With Nonito Donaire, he?s not a pay-per-view fighter, the Filipinos don?t support him,? said the Top Rank official. ?We had him on pay-per-view. He did no buys. When he fought Montiel, it was all Mexicans, very few Filipinos. He hasn?t connected with the Filipinos and I think largely it?s because of her (Rachel).?
