Less than a week before the scheduled kick-off ceremonies for the press tour to promote the upcoming fight of eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao, promoter Bob Arum refuses to commit on a new date for the fight.
The press tour was originally scheduled to kick off in Los Angeles on the first week of September, as earlier announced by Arum (via BoxingScene.com), with an opponent yet to be named.
Boxing fans marked their calendars right after Pacquiao's controversial fight with Timothy Bradley. The original date was November 10, but due to Pacquiao's reported political commitments, the date was later moved to December 1.
But even before the fight held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena last June 9, when the Palm Spring boxing star snatched Pacquiao's WBO welterweight crown, everyone knew November 10 was the official date, as confirmed by Arum and Pacquiao's adviser Michael Koncz.
Now Arum is saying he has no set date, yet contrary to his earlier statement through Koncz, the November 10 fight has been moved to December 1.
"I can't go blabbing to the press, who will trust me?" Arum said (via Lance Pugmire of the Chicago Tribune). "I have no date set, nothing. This is what happens when you're dealing with a politician. Affairs of state come first."
Meanwhile, Pacquiao's next opponent remains a mystery, but the three names in the short list submitted to Pacquiao by Arum during his recent trip to Manila are still in contention. They are Timothy Bradley, Juan Manuel Marquez and Miguel Cotto.
Earlier, the name of Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who was recently released from detention from a Nevada county jail for a domestic violence case, had surfaced as Pacquiao's possible opponent, but Arum has maintained that a clash with Mayweather is possible in April next year.
In a meeting held in Tijuana, Mexico, with promoter Fernando Beltran of Zanfer Promotons, Marquez said (via BoxingScene.com) he was awaiting Pacquiao's decision that was originally set to be announced last Monday.
Marquez and promoter Beltran are finalizing plans for the Mexican counterpuncher's next fight should the Pacquiao option fail.
Bradley has no idea what Arum has in store for him. Bradley was seen in the press conference of the Donaire-Noshiaki fight in Los Angeles.
He told Ed de la Vega of Philboxing.com he intends to find out from his promoter what his plans are.
“I don’t know man, that is the reason why I am here today. Hopefully I will know from Bob today.”
Except for a December 1 fight date at the Madison Square Garden in New York, Puerto Rican idol Miguel Cotto has not given any indication of who his next opponent will be. Arum has named Cotto as one of the possible opponents of Pacquiao.
At this point, the only sure thing about Pacquiao's next fight is the venue, Las Vegas. Other than this information, Arum has refused to commit on the name of Pacquiao's next opponent and the date of the fight.
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