Since when did Michael Koncz start working for Top Rank? Depending on who you ask, some might say he’s always been working for them, however, his official role is advisor to Manny Pacquiao. That being said, I can’t help but wonder why Bob Arum would send him, along with Donny Rucker and Joseph Jackson of Falcon Hawk Entertainment, to Mayweather’s gym to “discuss” a potential showdown with Manny Pacquiao. Last summer, when Bob Arum was suppposedly “negotiating” details of the fight, he was communicating with Al Haymon through former HBO Sports President Ross Greenburg. Prior to that, in 2009, when both sides first attempted to make the fight, Arum was initially working directly with Richard Schaefer, but when talks began to break down, he removed himself from the equation and it was his step-son, Todd duBoef, who talk over the duties. Now, with the issue of random blood and urine testing seemingly behind us, Arum apparently has tasked someone who doesn’t even work for his company with the responsibility of introducing investors to Mayweather. It’s a curious move considering that Todd duBoef has a great relationship with Floyd Mayweather and actually speaks to him often.
During a recent convesation I had with Mayweather, he had nothing but kind words for Todd duBoef and the whole duBoef family. To my surprise, he told me that he speaks to Todd on the regular, not about boxing, but about their families and life in general. Mayweather made it clear to me that if he were speaking directly to anyone about any real negotiations, it would be Todd duBoef, not some other 3rd party like Michael Koncz or a group of investors. In fact, Mayweather informed me that he recently spoke to Todd duBoef while he was in New York to promote last Saturday’s rematch between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito. When Mayweather himself briefly brought up the topic of the mega-fight, it was duBoef who changed the subject to their children, further verifying his opinion that Bob Arum isn’t really interested in making the fight with Pacquiao. According to Mayweather, if it was Todd duBoef calling the shots, the fight with Pacquiao would have already happened a long time ago.
