Arthur Abraham Will Stay at 168, Eyes Stieglitz’s WBO Title

Former world middleweight champion Arthur Abraham (33-3, 27KOs) returned last Saturday in Germany and stopped Argentine boxer Pablo Farias in five rounds. Abraham, who planned on going back to middleweight, will remain in the super middleweight division.

Abraham won the WBO’s European super middleweight title last Saturday and wants to fight the winner of April’s fight between WBO champion Robert Stieglitz and Mikkel Kessler. There rumors that Kessler may opt to chase a rematch with WBC/WBA champion Andre Ward.

A return date of March 31 is possible, says Abraham.

“I would like to do better, but this requires more work and further training. The mistakes that I made [against Farias], we are going to analyze and continue training so they are not repeated.

“It is quite possible [that I can face Stieglitz]. I think that our promoter [Sauerland Event] would organize this fight. Stiglitz also wants this fight, and so do I, of course. Such a fight would be a great event for Germany. So I hope that he could it could take place at the end of the year.[But] I would like to fight with the champ, so this would have to be in case he wins [against Kessler].

If Kessler wins, Abraham says a fight with his stablemate “is quite possible.”

By Yuri Tarantino, allboxing.ru

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=48664

WBO bantamweight champion Jorge “Travieso” Arce is having problems finding an opponent for his next scheduled fight on February 10 in Durango, Mexico. So far both Lorenzo Parra and Giovanni Andrade have not been approved as world title challengers by the WBO. “Andrade does not have the merits to be included in any of our rankings,” said WBO President Francisco Varcacel, “therefore the WBO will not sanction this fight. If we sanction a fight between Arce and Andrade, our organization will lose credibility among many. We must maintain a level of prestige. Title fights must be between fighters in our rankings and deserving of a title shot.”

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/wbo-will-not-sanction-the-arce-andrade-fight-106234

WINDHOEK – Namibia’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) Africa Super Middleweight champion and world champion prospect, Wilbeforce Shihepo, made short work of his bout against Janos Olah, at the Baden Arena, Offenburg, Germany on Saturday evening.

The “Black Mamba”, as the hard-punching Shihepo is affectionately known among his followers in Namibia, enjoyed one of his easiest paydays. He twice floored his Hungarian opponent with a vicious right within the opening two minutes of the first round of their non-title bout.

The Namibian was in mean mood and signalled his intentions very early in the opening round as he pounded the Hungarian with a combination of punches that left his opponent in serious pain, but the referee had seen enough.

He came to the Hungarian’s rescue by stopping the contest as Olah could no longer sustain the vicious onslaught from the giant Namibian and rightfully abbreviated the bout by declaring a technical knock-out (TKO) in favour of Shihepo.

The victory extended Shihepo’s (28) record in the paid ranks to 18 wins from 26 bouts, with a remarkable 15 stoppages. His handler Nestor “Sunshine” Tobias could not heap enough praise on the flamboyant boxer and told New Era Sports that he is currently locked in advanced negotiations to line up a title fight for the highly rated Shihepo.

“He’s in good shape and is ready to take on the best on offer in the world. Force is doubtlessly one of the best punchers in world boxing in his weight category and very few boxers would go the distance with him when he is on fire,” boasted Tobias.

Shihepo is currently ranked at No. 11 in world rankings and has a very good chance of staking a claim for a world title, since all boxers ranked in the top 15 are eligible to fight for a world title.

by Carlos Kambaekwa

http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=42329&title=%E2%80%98Black%20Mamba%E2%80%99%20demolishes%20Hungarian

WBO/WBA lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (53-6-1, 39KOs) will gladly fight in Mexico City – if Manny Pacquiao turns him down for a fourth fight. Promoter Fernando Beltran of Zanfer Promotions is looking to stage a big show at a new venue in Mexico City on the tentative date of March 17th, with Marquez as the headline attraction.

Marquez is waiting for a final confirmation that he won’t be the selected opponent for Pacquiao in early June. Marquez, along with Miguel Cotto, Lamont Peterson and Timothy Bradley, are the four opponents in the running to face Pacquiao. The Filipino star has reportedly made his selection, but he won’t reveal his pick until the end of next week.

“I would gladly fight in the arena in Mexico City, which is what they are offering me, but I want to be guaranteed a fourth fight with Pacquiao,” Marquez said. “My promoter is waiting to get the last word on Pacquiao. I already submitted my terms.”

If Marquez fights in Mexico in March, David Diaz and Lamont Peterson are two of names being mentioned by Fernando Beltran as  possible opponents.

By Ernesto Castellanos, notifight.com

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=48564

In his first bout following his disastrous Super Six tournament performance, former world champion Arthur Abraham (33-3, 26 KOs) scored a fifth round KO over Pablo Oscar Natalio Farias (19-2, 11 KOs) in a clash for the WBO European super middleweight title on Saturday night at the Baden Arena in Offenburg, Germany. After a slow four rounds, Abraham opened up in the fifth and dropped Farias three times to end it.

WBO super middleweight champion Robert Stieglitz (41-2, 23 KOs) scored a one-sided twelve round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten #14 Henry Weber (15-1-1, 3 KOs). Stieglitz outclassed Weber as he landed almost at will, but Weber was game and showed a good chin as he took a beating for the full distance. Scores were 116-112, 118-110, 119-109. Fightnews.com had it 120-108. Next up for Stieglitz is expected to be former WBC/WBA champion Mikkel Kessler on April 14 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Unbeaten heavyweight Kubrat Pulev (15-0, 7 KOs) scored a nine round TKO over Michael Sprott (36-18, 17 KOs), who didn’t come out for round ten in a bout for the IBF International heavyweight title.

WBF/WBO/WIBF female super featherweight champion Ramona Kühne (19-1, 6 KOs) scored an eighth round KO over Renata Dömsödi (7-2, 3 KOs). Kühne dropped Dömsödi twice in the eighth and it was waved off at 1:24.

By Karl Freitag

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/results-from-germany-5-106033

The Philippine Star reports that WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao has selected his next opponent – if a deal can’t be reached with Floyd Mayweather Jr. Pacquiao and his promoter, Top Rank’s CEO Bob Arum, sat down yesterday and the veteran promoter saidthe meeting took 30 minutes. There were four choices on the table – WBA/WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez, WBA 154-pound champion Miguel Cotto, WBO junior welterweight champion Tim Bradley and IBF/WBA 140-pound champion Lamont Peterson. Arum would not disclose the name of the opponent.

“We got everything done in 30 minutes,” Arum said. “Yes, he has made the choice. But I’m not gonna talk about it. Now I’m going back and let’s see if we can make what Manny wants to happen. We need to be sure everything is secure and that things are done the way they should be done.”

Arum said Pacquiao is going to fight in the last week of May or the first week of June. If it’s not against Mayweather, then it will be against the opponent he picked.

“Don’t say that,” Arum told a Filipino reporter when asked if Mayweather is out of the picture.

Pacquiao’s adviser, Michael Koncz, expects Pacquiao to make his announcement by the end of next week.

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=48531

WBO light heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly (23-0, 11 KO’s) didn’t look at all good in his last fight against Tony Bellew and looked about as bad in his fight before that against Aleksy Kuziemski. So this time, Cleverly is facing an arguably even weaker opponent in Tommy Karpency (21-2-1, 14 KO’s) on February 25th, at the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales.

This time Cleverly is certain he’ll look good. It’s just too bad that he had to be matched up against a guy that’s not even ranked in the top 15 by the World Boxing Organization for him to shine. Cleverly got a win over Bellew last time out in October and few boxing fans saw Cleverly winning that fight. A lot of boxing fans, this writer included, saw it as a draw.

Cleverly is still moving forward rather than taking a big risk and fighting the #13 WBO ranked Bellew again and possibly losing this time. So instead of a dangerous fighter or someone at least ranked in the top five, Karpency has been found for Cleverly and that’s who he’ll be facing in front of his home fans in Wales.

I don’t know how Cleverly can do this. I mean when you fight a bottom #13 opponent like Bellew, aren’t you supposed to fight your mandatory next? How is it Cleverly is now able to fight a guy like Karpency who isn’t even ranked in the top 15 by the WBO? If they’re going to suddenly rank Karpency near the top, they’re really lagging because he’s still not even ranked in the top 15 by the WBO. I see him at #10 by the WBA, but that’s not the WBO.

Cleverly told walesonline.co.uk “It’s a fight I should and will win because I’ll break him down and look good doing it.”

You think? Yeah, I think Cleverly will look good but look at who he had to fight for that to happen. If a champion has to dig up non-top 15 ranked contenders just to look good then boxing is in pretty bad shape.

Cleverly expects to fight 47-year-old Bernard Hopkins or Beibut Shumenov in the summer in Wales. Let me be the first to say this: It’s not going to happen, at least not in Wales. Those guys aren’t going to go to Wales and risk losing by a hometown decision. I’m sure they would love to fight Cleverly because they see what I see him in him – a vulnerable fighter that just went life and death with a fighter ranked #13. But Hopkins and Shumenov sure as heck won’t go to Wales and make it easy for Cleverly to win a controversial decision. That isn’t going to happen even if they get a good payday by agreeing to fight Cleverly there.

By Scott Gilfoid:

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2012/01/cleverly-ill-look-good-in-beating-karpency/

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) through its president Francisco ‘Paco’ Valcarcel and Asia Pacific chairman Leon Panoncillo has announced that this year’s WBO Drug Free event will take place in Mandaue City with its opening program set for January 28.

The program is a yearly WBO activity aimed at taking the youth off drugs and giving them an avenue to get involved in sports rather than see themselves get into vices.

For this year, a basketball tournament is being organized by the WBO among the youth in Mandaue City, with the winning team and runners up getting special prizes from the WBO.

“The WBO is reaching out to the youth in the poor neighborhood with our outreach program. A tournament will be held not just for one day but for a month, this program will take them off the street and into the court,” said WBO Asia Pacific Chairman Leon Panoncillo, who announced that members of the winning team will each get a bicycle as their prize.

WBO’s multi-awarded manager and promoter Sammy Gello-ani has already laid the groundworks for the said activity, and has gathered the teams that will participate in the month-long tournament.

“We will send a message to parents to remind their kids to stay off drugs.. Our message will surely be heard throughout Asia. The generosity of our president not only will help feed the children but to give them something to look forward to in winning a grand prize which every student or youth would surely would want which is a bicycle that they could use as source of transportation to school. The first and second runner up will also receive chool goods and supplies. This is surely something to strive for.” — RAQUEL SILVA

http://philboxing.com/news/story-65211.html

World Boxing Organization (WBO) African boxer of the year Braimah Kamoko AKA Bukom Banku makes a return to the ring on February 25 when he makes a defence of his WBO Africa Light heavyweight belt against Kenyan Hamza Wandera in Accra.

Victory for the unbeaten Kamoko, 22-0, 16 KOs will move him closer to a fight against world champion Nathan Cleverly later in the year. Banku’s fight is the headliner of the first promotion of the year in Ghana put up by Golden Mike Boxing Promotions led by CEO Mike Tetteh slated for the plush Accra International Conference Centre.

By Prince Dornu-Leiku

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=30337&more=1

On February 25 in Stuttgart, WBO cruiserweight champion Marco Huck wants to become the first German world heavyweight champion since the great Max Schmeling when he takes on WBA regular champion Alexander Povetkin of Russia. “I’m very happy about the chance to fight the heavyweight world championship,” says Huck. “That to me is like winning the lottery. I really want to be the heir to Schmeling. But actually I see Povetkin only as a stopover on the way to the Klitschko brothers….I don’t understand why Povetkin has never taken the chance to climb into the ring against Wladimir. I think he’s afraid of the Klitschko brothers. I’m not.”

“I want to beat Povetkin, then compete against the two brothers. I know that Vitali and Wladimir are strong, and I respect their achievements. But I’m sure I can beat both of them. And anyway, what is it bigger than competing with the best? Why would someone enter the boxing ring if he doesn’t want to make the best possible fight? I can’t understand that.”

Huck is preparing in Berlin for his first fight as a heavyweight. “I’ve already gained the necessary pounds, I feel very comfortable with the higher weight. My energy levels have improved. I have more power than most heavyweights. At the same time I’m fast and physically in top condition. I’ll be training in the coming weeks as hard as ever. This is my big chance and I’m going to use it!”
 

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/huck-povetkin-is-scared-of-the-klitschkos-im-not-105916

WBO super middleweight champion Robert Stieglitz (40-2, 23 KOs), WBO/WIBF/WBF female super featherweight champion Ramona Kuehne (18-1, 5 KOs) and their teams spent Thursday with a lengthy stroll around the beautiful southern German city of Offenburg. On Saturday Stieglitz defends against WBO #14 Henry Weber (15-0-1, 3 KOs) and Kuehne faces late sub Renata Dömsödi (7-1, 3 KOs)

Robert Stieglitz: “Because of the cancellation of the Kessler fight, I had a long break. The Magdeburg SES fighter Robert Stieglitz confident: “Due to the cancellation of the Kessler fight I had a long break. All the more why I’m happy to be back in the ring in a packed house. I want to show good boxing! I am the champion and must win. I don’t underestimate Henry Weber but I want to further validate my position as a world champion. What comes after this? We’ll see, proceed step-by-step – but the fight against Mikkel Kessler or the other champions is my big goal in 2012.”

Ramona Kuehne: “The new opponent Renata Dömsödi comes from the same training group as the now injured Agota Ilko. Both are equally strong, have the same preparation, and even exactly the same record. It’s fortunately no big change. I’m just happy to be boxing again!”

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/stieglitz-kuehne-update-105931

WBO African boxer of the year Braimah Kamoko AKA Bukom Banku makes a return to the ring on February 25 when he makes a defence of his WBO Africa Light heavyweight belt against Kenyan Hamza Wandera in Accra.
Victory for the unbeaten Kamoko, 22-0, 16 KOs will move closer to a fight against world champion Nathan Cleverly later in the year. Banku’s fight is the headliner of the first promotion of the year in Ghana put up by Golden Mike Boxing Promotions led by CEO Mike Tetteh slated for the plush Accra International Conference Centre.
Also defending their titles on the same bill are hot prospects Joshua Okine and Emmanuel Tagoe AKA Game Boy. Okine takes on Bethuel Ushoona of Namibia for his IBF Intercontinental Welterweight belt whereas Game Boy defends his IBF Intercontinental Super Featherweight title against Santos Benavides of Nicaragua.
Also featuring on January 20 at the Accra International Conference Centre are Samuel Amoako versus Martin Haikali of Namibia for WBO Africa Lightweight belt, Ebenezer Lamptey against Ecuadorian Aduardo Flores for WBO Africa Super Lightweight title with the night completed by the national Featherweight championship between Ishmael Aryeetey and Samuel Adotei.

 
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/artikel.php?ID=227540

EC Box Promotion returns to the BoxHall in Hamburg on February 11 with a ten fight show headlined by cruiserweight Kai Kurzawa (27-4, 19KOs), who will fight Georgian Levan Jomardashvili (25-5, 18KOs) for the WBO’s Asia-Pacific title.

Karama Nyilawila defends the WBFed middleweight title against Cagri Ermis in the co-feature. Heavyweight Michael Wallish, 7-0 and Int´l German champ, takes on Ladislav Kovarik and Swedish female jr. welterweight Klara Svensson faces Angel McKenzie. Middleweight Domenic von Chrzanowski squares off against Pole Mariusz Biskupski in his debut for EC.

There´s a strong possibility that Alexander Alexeev will be the guest of honor at ringside. Alexeev fights Enad Licina the week before in Frankfurt / Main for the vacant EBU cruiser crown and he is favored to win.

By Per Ake Persson

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=48426

One of boxing’s brightest stars, Nonito Donaire, was again spotted training at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas, Nevada, ahead of his February 4th HBO-televised clash with former champion Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.

Donaire, the reigning WBO and WBC bantamweight champion, is moving up to the junior featherweight class to meet Vazquez for the vacant WBO belt, the same crown the Puerto Rican used to hold before his TKO loss to Jorge Arce in May of last year.

Under the watchful eye of his trainer Robert Garcia, Donaire sparred six spirited rounds with undefeated featherweight prospect Evgeny Gradovich. Originally hailing from Russia, Gradovich pressed Donaire and you could tell Nonito is still adjusting to the size difference with his move up in weight.

That being said, Donaire was equally effective with his blazing counters and didn’t back down from the challenge.

February 4th is inching closer and so too is Donaire beginning to become more well-rounded in camp.

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=48418

ALA Boxing Promotions is offering 23-year-old WBO Intercontinental flyweight champion Milan “El Metodico” Melindo a mandatory bout this year if he surpasses another tough test against former WBC and WBO Latino flyweight champion Juan Esquer in the main event of the Pinoy Pride XI on Jan. 28 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

Melindo, who sports a 25-0 (win-loss) record with nine knockouts, is one of the brightest bets for a world crown in the flyweight division after scoring a lopsided win over Mexican Francisco Rosas last year.

“His reputation in the boxing world is very high,” said ALA Boxing Promotions president Michael Aldeguer during yesterday’s official launching of the event at the PAGCOR Casino Filipino theater at the Waterfront. “A lot of champions want to fight Milan and we are ready for that. He just needs to win every time and we are planning to follow mandatory bouts for him.”

Fellow Filipino Brian Viloria reigns as the WBO flyweight champion and a fight against him seems possible according to Milendo’s camp. But they said other options are being considered to prevent an all-Filipino duel.

As for now, Milendo’s eyes are set on Esquer as he defends his WBO intercontinental title.

“I viewed his tapes and his style is very fit for me because he is a slugger. I’ll just have to find a way to beat him,” said Milendo.

Esquer’s latest bout ended up in disappointment after he was disqualified against Ricardo Nunez last November during their WBO Latino flyweight bout for excessive low blows in the seventh round.

UNDERCARD BOUTS

Meanwhile, former Braveheart stable pug and WBO Oriental featherweight champion Lorenzo “Thunder Bolt” Villanueva (21-0-20 KOs) will fight Mexican Diego “Tyson” Ledesma (18-4-2 12 KOs) in a non-title bout in the undercard.

Also to be featured in the undercard is Mhar Jhun “Astig” Macahilig (13-1-7KOs), who will be facing Thai veteran Kaichon Sor Vorapin (25-10-9KOs). Bacolod’s reigning OPBF minimumweight champion Merlito Sabillo will also go up against Indonesian journeyman and Indonesia Boxing Commission minumumweight champion Sofyan Effendi (11-11-2 9KOs).

Former ALA fighter and RP No. 1 featherweight contender Joseph Von Minoza returns to his original stable to fight Korean Yoo Shin Kim in the 128lbs division.

Another attraction will be the bout between Jojo “Flash” Entor against Crispin Barba while Mark Acub and Samuel Galinato will fight in the 126lbs division. Ivor Lastrilla faces Jicky Gaco in the opening bout.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/124267/milan-to-get-mandatory-bout-if-he-wins-in-pp12

Former U.S. Olympian Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade of Providence gets his first crack at boxing hardware Feb. 10 when he takes on Philadelphian Derek “Pooh” Ennis for the vacant North American Boxing Organization (NABO) junior middleweight title at the Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, Conn.

The fight will be the main event on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights series.

Since we last wrote about Andrade after a lackluster win last August over Grady Brewer, Andrade showed a lot more aggressiveness in an impressive third-round TKO over former world title challenger Saul Duran and has climbed into the top 15 rankings of all four major boxing organizations.

“This is going to be a breakout year for Demetrius,” said Joe DeGuardia, president of Star Boxing, which co-promotes Andrade with Banner Promotions. “Ennis is a tough Philadelphia fighter who figures to give Demetrius the toughest test of his young pro career.”

The undefeated Andrade (15-0, 11 KOs), who rose from the Southern New England Golden Gloves Tournament in Fall River to a world amateur boxing championship and a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team, is curently ranked ninth in the junior middleweight division by the WBO, 11th by the IBF, 13th by the WBC and 15th by the WBA.

Ennis (23-3-1, 13 KOs) is a former USBA champion who is ranked ninth by the IBF. He won the vacant USBA title in 2009 against former world title challenger Ermosele Albert.

Tickets are $75, $40 and $30 (plus a $5 facility fee for all tickets) and are on sale at the Mohegan Sun box office and through Ticketmaster. For further information, call Star Boxing at (718) 823-2000.

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120112/SPORTS/201120335/-1/NEWSMAP

Ricky Burns will make his first defence of the interim WBO lightweight title against Paulus Moses on 10 March.

The 33-year-old Namibian won the WBA title two years ago in Japan but lost it after one successful defence.

Moses, known as ‘The Hitman’, has only been stopped once in 29 fights and has won 19 bouts by knockout.

The fight has been moved back to the Braehead Arena due to television commitments after promoters had announced a switch to the Kelvin Hall.

Burns’s manager Alex Morrison believes Moses will provide a “stiff test” for his Burns.

“He’s a bit of a knockout specialist,” Morrison told BBC Scotland.

“And you don’t go to Japan and a win a world title without having something about you.”

Moses (right) has only been stopped once in 29 fights

Burns became WBO super-featherweight champion after a thrilling win over Rocky Martinez in 2010.

After three defences of the title, ‘The Rickster’ moved up to lightweight and beat Michael Katsidis at Wembley last November to become interim lightweight champion.

If, as expected, Juan Manuel Marquez vacates his WBO title at the same weight, Burns could enter the ring against Moses as the full champion.

By Phil Goodlad
BBC Scotland

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/boxing/16534019.stm

World champion looking forward to summer ‘superfight’

Nathan Cleverly is hoping to further enhance his box office appeal when he defends his WBO light-heavyweight title against Tommy Karpency.

The Welshman will make the third defence of belt against the American at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena on February 25, in what could be a stepping stone to a big open-air fight in the summer.

“Frank (Warren) has got big plans for me and to fight at Cardiff City’s ground would be a dream,” he said. “I’m still only 24 and time is on my side to achieve a lot of things.

“I know the big super-fights will come, I’ve just got to keep putting on good displays and we are progressively getting there.

“In the meantime I can’t be complacent by taking my eye off the ball and let Karpency upset the plans.

“I saw Karo Murat’s fight against Karpency when I was preparing for my fight against Murat and I saw that he’s a southpaw, tough, rugged and strong. He’ll come to have a fight with me, but I’ll break him down and look good doing it.”

http://www1.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/7423772/Clev-Big-fights-will-come

Manny Pacquiao could decide today or tomorrow whether he will fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 5th — this according to Manny’s trainer.

Freddie Roach just told TMZ Manny and promoter Bob Arum are in the Philippines, figuring out if they can put off several deals to fight other boxers  … to clear the decks for a Mayweather fight in May.

Roach is scoffing at Mayweather’s tweet, in which he calls Pacquiao a “punk,” saying, “He should look in the mirror.  He’s been ducking us for 2 years.”

As for what weight class Pacquiao will fight Mayweather … Roach said 147 lbs — that’s the upper limit of welterweight.

Of course, even if Pacquiao can rearrange his schedule, both sides have to agree on a financial deal.  Roach says, “We’ll do it on even terms.”

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=48384

By Michael Collins: Someone needs to tell Bob Arum that WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao is saying his cut is okay and he’s ready to take on WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. because Arum is still going on the belief that Pacquiao needs more time for his cut to heal. Arum is meeting with Pacquiao today in the Philippines to assist him in picking out his next opponent.

If Pacquiao really wants the Mayweather fight, then something productive should come from this meeting. If not, then you’ll have to assume that Pacquiao really didn’t want the Mayweather fight.

Pacquiao told Manila Standard writer Ronnie Nathanielsz “There is a possibility of fighting Mayweather in May and I’ll discuss what is best for us to do…[the cut is] fine and there’s no problem.”

Arum has an issue with the size of the MGM Grand, which is where Mayweather wants the fight to take place. The Grand only seats around 16,800 fans, and Arum wants to have a bigger arena that seats 45,000. Arum figures that $20 million will be lost if he agrees to let Pacquiao fight Mayweather at the MGM Grand rather than a larger venue.

Of course, Arum doesn’t seem to recognize that even more money will be lost if never takes the leash of Pacquiao and lets him fight Mayweather. The fight will generate huge profits on pay per view, both at home and in small theaters nationwide. Holding back on the fight just because the venue isn’t big enough is a narrow way of looking at the fight. Pacquiao won’t make anywhere near the kind of money he’ll make for a Mayweather fight if he goes ahead a takes on one of the four opponents that Arum has selected for him.

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=30310&more=1