Bubbly Bob Arum, jetting Thursday from the Italian Riviera back to Las Vegas, said Wednesday the Antonio Margarito-Manny Pacquiao fight to be held Nov. 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Tx., will draw more than 70,000 paying fans.
Some cynics might think that the North Texas area might not be as receptive as it turned out to be on March 13, when 51,000 showed up at the sparkling football playpen which houses Jerry Jones' NFL Cowboys team to watch Pacman trying to entice Johsua Clottey into an actual fight.
And some may think that genial host Jones might not have the same enthusiasm as he did when he forked over $7 million for Clottey-Pacman, especially since the November date is in the middle of football season.
Nay, nay, sayeth Arum, who is hoping for the official OK on Margarito's boxing license application on Friday.
“If anything, Jerry is even more enthusiastic. Look, we got a huge crowd with Clottey, a fighter nobody in North Texas knew anything about. Now we've got a Mexican fighter in an area with a big Mexican population. I think we can get north of 70,000 fans.
“Having this fight during football season also opens up all the marketing and other channels Jerry uses for the Cowboys, they will all be helping us with the promotion.”
Las Vegan Arum said he feels “bad” that the gambling city will not host a Pacqiauo bout this calendar year, mainly due to the Margarito licensing issues.
“I do feel bad, that is where I live. Las Vegas lives off gaming and a big Manny fight would have been a good financial injection for everyone. There's nothing like a big fight in Vegas but, at the same, I couldn't be more excited about going back to Jerry and to his stadium.”
(mlcmarley@aol.com)
Comments
Dear Uncle Bob,
You are certainly correct about the mexican population in Texas, but crediting Antonio Cheatergito for the possible 70,000 paying fans is ill-conceived. Keep in mind, Cheatergito is Cheatergito in Texas, California, Nevada, or Dubai. On top of that, many don't jive with his shortsighted actions.
Pacman will attract more mexican fans than Cheatergito (period). Why? We tend to have more respect for the individual who beat the mexican top dogs than a dirty mexican.
With this in mind, I suggest you sign local boxers to help achieve your goal of 70,000 fans.
Regards,
Eduardo Ramirez
Sorry Uncle Bob, you may be wrong, I would say about 90,000 paying fans. We are going on a bus load for the fight, and we are from Duncan, BC. The Cowichan Nation. We want to see Pacquiao beat up another tough brawler. See you all there, and PacMan wins, we going to hit the bars and beat up some cowfagboys. So, do not wear a cowboy hat,
@to all Floyfans...
i find it funny that some people in the states still thinks that PAC is on Peds.. and i noticed that this people are Floydfans, jealous, haters....
didnt PAC made it clear a few months back that if the NSAC demands the test, he will honor it.. blood test and everything.. does that sound like PAC dont wanna take the test??? even the NSAC acknowledged PACs statement.. all Floyd has to do is to go to the NSAC and request for the test, and then we have a fight, but he didnt even bother.. why is that??? im sure you haters didnt even bother asking yourself that....
of course floydiots won't ask floyd why he did not bother to present his case before NSAC to upgrade drug test. they wont bother ask floyd, because floydiots are afraid to know the truth that their hero is only using RANDOM BLOOD TESTS to avoid pacman. it hurts to know the fighter you worship is a coward.
regardless how many fans will watch this fight live in texas, still margarito had no legitimate claim for a fight with pacquaio. no doubt this is a "money in-house" fight by bob arum. there should be a border line somewhere wherein a sanctioning body like of WBC stand its ground on not being part of a title fight like this with a cheater like margarito. they should automatically banned the fighter and therefore make the state who found the cheating re-issued the licence of margarito. and other state should follow suit of not patronizing the fight of a cheater. bob arum should stop making this fight and offer other fighter outside his promotion legitimate opponent for pacquiao.
even Hagler thinks that the son of Floyd Sr is a quack quack.
hey Richard, i'll sign the pre nup
i agree that cheato does not deserve to fight Pacman but ask yourself this: Why did Mayweather duck Pacman again and now he's saying that he's fighting. Know what I aint buying another Mayweather fight cause I know he will be picking his cherries again. He's a businessman after all but honestly we want to see warriors not businessmen inside the ring. I wouldnt complain anymore on cheato stepping into the ring with Pacman. 8th world title on the way for him but then again you can't really tell cause Cheato is a brawler and a pretty dangerous fighter too. He has all physical advantages as well obviously so I guess we shall watch and see.
Better put Donaire - Montiel in the Undercard Bob or else!
Better watch this fight than nothing..i just missed pacman's fight. Lil Floyd is full of shit and is afraid to fight to Pacman as he would be another Hatton sleeping in the canvas in 3 rounds.
Eduardo Ramirez said it all...thanks bro.
if Uncle Bob would insist on a Margie fight, then he should at least have one great Mexican boxer in the undercard and not insist that Margie is for them, which would be an insult.
is Jesse Benavidez from Texas? He'd be great.
Marvelous Marvin Hagler: “With the Pacquiao and Mayweather fight, I'm sure that Mayweather is too scared” . Mayweather deserved 41-1 for his final record in boxing.
it hurts to know the fighter you worship is a coward.
Yes ! floyd is a coward .Thats all .,there are many welterweights that floyd needs to fight before he can convince the world that he is great ,like .miguel cotto,andre berto, magarito, paul williams, sergio martinez in light middle, chavez junior, devon alexander, amir khan ,if he can beat this big fighters then I will worship him as the best fighter of all time .but the truth is hes ducking all of this great boxers isn't that true ..he just beat nameless fighters thats why hes undefeated , de la hoya is old and not in his prime already when floyd beat him,,thats all Floyd is a great coward .keeps on ducking real fighters ..what do you think people ?
Margarito is still a dangerous fighter. Remember people Margarito is an athlete, bigger, has a reach advantage and desperate to prove that he still deserve to be Champion. This would be another test for the PACMAN.
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