Arum cautions Pacquiao on being a fighter/promoter
Top Rank Promotion chief Bob Arum warned Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao on the perils of being a fighter and at the same time being the promoter of his own fights.
Pacquiao, following the footsteps of former world champions Oscar Dela Hoya, Roy Jones Jr., and undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr., is promoting his world title fight against World Boxing Association welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse on Sunday at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“Well I’m glad that he pulled this off and it should be a very, very good fight, and I understand the Philippine President (Rodrigo Duterte) is coming to watch the fight,” Arum told The Manila Times via overseas call.
“That’s great and it should be a very competitive fight.”
Top Rank Promotion chief Bob Arum AFP PHOTO
But the veteran international promoter cautioned Pacquiao on the complexity of being a fight promoter.
“It is very, very complicated in the sense you got to watch the money, and you got to watch what you are spending, how much you are going to take in and you cannot do it emotionally that’s why I’m afraid for Manny,” said Arum.
“He acts more out of emotions than he does you know, which what a bookkeeper would do to look at the money that’s coming in. I don’t know how much money he is going to make from this fight. I hope he is satisfied, but it is very, very difficult to be a fighter then being your own promoter.”
Arum explained that the 39-year-old fighting Senator needs professionals to run his business.
“Oscar (De La Hoya) did it for just a couple of fights, Mayweather did it a little longer, but Oscar had a whole group including (Richard) Schaefer in backing him,” said Arum, referring to De La Hoya who relinquished his post as chief executive officer of Golden Boy Promotion in 2014.
“When he was a fighter, he didn’t attend to business, you know. He was a fighter and the fights were promoted in the name of Golden Boy at the end, but it wasn’t Oscar really promoting it. Now Manny, because he is Manny, he wants to do everything and that’s not good.”
Arum said that no fighter has ever succeeded in doing both.
“No fighter can do both. Mayweather didn’t do both. Mayweather had (Al) Haymon and other people handling the finances and details of the promotion. Manny is trying to do everything and that’s impossible. I mean it is great that he is a nice guy, but that’s not okay when you are doing business,” he added.
Although he is not watching the Kuala Lumpur fight, Arum said he is open to renewing ties with Pacquiao.
“I’m very friendly with Manny. I have been in his corner and there’s no animosity whatsoever. If there’s an animosity, would I let my people go and help him? Animosity? none at all.”
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