Boxing Promoter Bob Arum isn’t letting COVID-19 stop him from making potential big time fights.
Arum who told Boxing Scene he’s in the works of making a Pacman vs Bud Crawford fight happen.
Notably, several years ago Arum and his company Top Rank represented Manny Pacquiao up until his loss to Keith Horn. Manny subsequently dropped Arum after the abysmal defeat to Horn.
Bob didn’t think at the time Pacman was ready for Bud on the notion of Bud being a younger fighter who was more polished than the older Pacman.
Why is the time right now?
Pacquiao has looked really impressive over the last 3 bouts against Thurman, Broner & Matthysse. Arum thinks Manny is more dedicated at the time in his life. The inevitable is in front of Manny, so know one knows quite frankly how much longer Manny has in the sport.
When can we expect the fight?
Arum states,
“The world is different from what it was the end of January, mid-February, and we’ll have to see what it looks like when we get through this. It would be great, particularly if the economics for that fight work, which would’ve happened absent this coronavirus situation.”
“I am optimistic that I will be able to continue with these talks in the next month or so. I talked to Terence and [trainer/manager Brian McIntyre] about it. It appears to me that Crawford and Pacquiao wanna go ahead with that fight.”
Locations for the fight are up in the air due to COVID-19. No sporting events are allowed in the United States at the time. Arum is also quoted stating, he knows that a fight couldn’t happen in the Philippines either.
“If somebody was willing to put up a big site fee, and do it without fans for the publicity, that might work,”
“Or maybe not do it without fans, but do it with safe-distance seating, which I’ve been exploring.”
In essence, the biggest criticism Crawford has faced from other fighters, and media is specifically one thing; Who has he fought? Who on your resume puts you in the same class as an Errol Spence, who everyone wants to see him fight.
The knock on him fighting Manny is that if he does indeed beat Manny, the narrative will be he beat up a 40 year old Manny Pacquaio. If he loses the notion will be “he finally fought a seasoned veteran”, and lost, so it’s theoretically a lose, lose situation.
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