LAS VEGAS ? A day after throwing verbal roundhouse punches at the MGM Grand for having more signs advertising the Floyd Mayweather-Marcos Maidana fight on May 3rd than Arum?s Manny Pacquiao-Tim Bradley rematch this Saturday, promoter Bob Arum said noted the MGM had changed the advertising in the casino overnight.
Arum, who made his remarks during Wednesday?s final Pacquiao-Bradley II press conference, said the MGM Resorts company has not contacted him, but if they do, he will refer them to Top Rank?s lawyers. He said not only does he not regret making the remarks, but that time has only reinforced his belief that the MGM disrespected Top Rank and the fighters.
The MGM did not immediately return calls and email messages seeking a response.
Arum, who handles both Bradley and Pacquiao, was angered by a 20-story high mural advertising the Floyd Mayweather-Marcos Maidana fight that was hanging on one side of the massive hotel, along with the three-sided signs hanging throughout the casino with two sides advertising the Mayweather-Maidana fight and one advertising the Pacquiao-Bradley II fight.
Those three-sided signs have been changed to advertise Saturday?s fight on two sides and the May 3 fight on one side. The large Mayweather mural, however, has been paid for by Golden Boy Promotions and cannot be removed.
During the news conference, Arum, the emcee, introduced Richard Sturm, president of sports and entertainment for the MGM Grand Resorts, as ?the president of hanging the posters and decorations for the wrong fight.?
Arum then said of another Vegas hotel, ?I know at the Venetian, they wouldn?t make a mistake like that. They would know what fight they have three days away and they wouldn?t have a 12-1 (odds) fight all over the building that takes place three weeks away.
?But that?s why one company makes a billion dollars a quarter and the other is hustling to pay its debt.
?There it is. Say it like it is.?
The Venetian is owned by Arum?s business partner, Sheldon Adelson, who also owns the Venetian in Macau, where Arum held Pacquiao?s last fight.
Arum ended the press conference by offering an excuse for his rant: ?If whatever I said was incendiary, I?m an old guy and I apologize.?
The 82-year-old Arum said later the MGM Grand ?had to be out of their minds to do what they did.?
The rematch between Pacquiao and Bradley is Saturday at the Grand Garden Arena (HBO pay-per-view, 9 p.m. ET). The first fight, won by Bradley in a highly controversial decision, spawned several investigations and criticism of the judges, who scored it a split decision.
