Pacquiao, Mayweather March 13 bout OK'd

MANILA, Philippines - Bob Arum, the reigning, defending and undisputed king of boxing promotions, carried his smile back home yesterday, and a gentleman’s agreement with Manny Pacquiao that yes, the March 13 showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. is green and go.

Arum should be back in his office or sitting down with the Mayweather people when he celebrates his 78th birthday tomorrow. He was in Manila for four days, and said he doesn’t mind travelling alone, crossing the Pacific, just to get things done.

A lot of people should be surprised how Arum, along with Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, who represents Mayweather in the talks, made it all happen, barely three weeks after Pacquiao defeated Miguel Cotto for the WBO welterweight crown.

Arum said he wasn’t surprised because it’s been done before.

The legendary president of Top Rank said it happened a long time ago, Muhammad Ali agreed to fight then the world heavyweight champion Joe Frazier right after he fought Oscar Bonavena on Dec. 7, 1970.

“I remember very distinctly when Ali fought Frazier the first time. Ali fought Oscar Bonavena on Dec. 7 and a little over two weeks the deal was made for Ali to fight Frazier and that fight took place on March 8,” said Arum.

Ali knocked out Bonavena in the 15th and final round, but when he fought Frazier, also at the Madison Square Garden, he lost a 15-round decision, leading to probably the greatest trilogy of all time, one that ended with the Thrilla in Manila in 1975.

Arum said what was done then is being done now for the Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown.

“So everybody really had to work hard for that Ali-Frazier but it was the most successful fight of its time financially. So everybody has to work real hard to bring this thing home on March 13,” said Arum.

Pacquiao’s adviser, Mike Koncz, said no contract has been signed yet, and sounded surprised why it seems so important to some whether or not the fight contract for the biggest fight in recent history had been signed by Pacquiao or Mayweather.

“There’s no need to sign it right away. When Bob and Manny agreed to do the fight, that’s it. There’s already an agreement verbally and that’s all that’s needed for now. That’s how we do it. Manny has never backed out of any agreement,” said Koncz.

“And that’s the same with Richard Schaefer who said there’s no problem at all. There are just some minor things left to be settled,” added Pacquiao’s Canadian adviser who stood in between Arum and Pacquiao when they made the deal last Friday.

And why would Pacquiao back out of the agreement, when Koncz said the Filipino pound-for-pound champion could earn as much as $50 million (nearly P2.5 billion) for the Mayweather fight. And they’re talking of just one fight, the one that takes place soon.

Choosing the venue of the fight should be in the agenda when Arum and Schaefer sit down this week. Insiders say Las Vegas, or MGM, has the inside track even if the new Cowboys Stadium in Dallas and the Super Dome in New Orleans are right there trying.

Pacquiao, who suffered a busted eardrum and a swollen hand against Cotto, has declared himself fit to do the biggest fight of his life just 120 days after beating Cotto and winning his seventh world title in seven different weight classes.

“I am fine. I will be healthy. My hand was only bruised, but there is not going to be a problem with it. Also, my ear will not be a problem. I know my body, and I would never do anything to seriously jeopardize my health,” Pacquiao was quoted as saying.

“I think he’s ready and he knows what to do. If that hand was bothering him he wouldn’t have taken the fight,” said Koncz.