There
is talk that Manny Pacquiao would like a fight before facing Juan
Manuel Marquez for the fifth time. Bob Arum said on early Thursday
afternoon that he would be speaking to Mike Koncz later on in the day
regarding this issue. According to Arum, Koncz had just come back from
Israel.
“Again,
all they are are rumors; I can't confirm it,” said Arum of Pacquiao,
who could possibly be fighting in Asia in April. “If that's what he
wants to do, to have a tune-up fight and Marquez wants to have a
tune-up, then I'll do a double-header.”
Marquez-Pacquiao V may take place on September 14th,
a date Golden Boy already has reserved on pay-per-view. But that's
nonsense, according to Arum, who stated, “The industry will go with the
most compelling fight. If it’s Pacquiao against Marquez, that trumps
anything.”
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As for their other clients, Arum adds that Tim Bradley is “penciled in for March 16th.
We have the opponent; we're trying to get the prices right and then
we'll make an announcement.” Arum declined to mention who would face the
“Desert Storm.” Bradley is coming off a highly disputed victory over
Manny Pacquiao in June and hasn't fought since then. Arum also told
Maxboxing that Todd duBoef, who is currently in Asia doing business in
places like Singapore and Macau, is handling these negotiations.
The rematch between Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado, should it get consummated, will be staged on March 30th at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Nonito Donaire, the consensus 2012 “Fighter of the Year,” could be fighting next in Asia.
“We'll
see what happens; Todd's over there. It's a great, great market. The
Chinese market is huge,” said Arum. “There are certain things we are
contemplating and we'll see. But the match I'm trying to put together,
that looks like the next match will be Donaire and [Guillermo]
Rigondeaux.”


