Bob Arum is a legend in the boxing game. He's been around the sport since the days of Ali, Norton, Frazier, and Foreman. He orchestrated such classics as Hagler-Hearns, and Hagler-Leonard, and has been at the pinnacle of the game since Don King's eventual demise. He brought Pay-Per-View giants Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. to the gates of super-stardom, only to watch them both walk away and mature on their own. Arum's stronghold on the sport is impressive, with all due respect to neophyte promotional giant Golden Boy Promotions.
Anyone that has given their lives to such a taxing career knows that the possibility of burnout looms strong in all of us. So after so many decades of giving his life to the sport, is it possible that Bob Arum, the legendary front man of Top Rank Promotions, has reached his breaking point? Why have we found out that his efforts to make one big fight, and the biggest fight in combat sports, haven't really been efforts at all?
Due to recent developments in details that have leaked regarding "negotiations" for bouts between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., as well as Fernando Montiel and Nonito Donaire, some might be wondering what is going on in the mind of Bob Arum. Pacquiao and Donaire are both promoted by Arum and Top Rank, while Mayweather is self-promoted, but represented by Golden Boy, due to his absence of a promoter's license. Montiel is represented by Fernando Beltran of Zanfer Promotions, a Mexico-based promoter.
During the secret, failed negotiations that may or may not have taken place for a bout between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., Arum leaked information to the press every few days. A nugget of information here, a snippet of detail there, and the public was under the belief that the stumbling blocks which killed the first bout were all worked out; all that was needed was Mayweather's signature. When Arum went all Lebron James on us and called a 3AM EST conference call last Friday, the hammer came down and Mayweather was judged to shoulder the blame for the fight not happening.
It was reported on Thursday, July 22, by noted Manny Pacquiao scribe Michael Marley that the "negotiations" were a farce, at best. Marley likened the "negotiations" to Bob Arum "simply presenting a list of the acceptable terms under which his fighter would tangle with 'Money May' on Nov. 13." Arum even admitted he never negotiated with Mayweather's adviser, Al Haymon, saying instead he negotiated through HBO executive Ross Greenburg. Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe's rebuttal to Arum's claims spread like a wild fire. On July 19, Marley wrote in his column at Examiner.com that his sources have revealed the "negotiations" were the above-referenced list of demands sent once. As Marley stated, "Nothing more to it, nada, zippo, zilch."
For the second time in a week, Arum has been caught in an apparent lie, as his claim that a bout between Bantamweights Nonito Donaire and Fernando Montiel was set for November was refuted by Montiel himself, and supported by Montiel's promoter Fernando Beltran. This is a bout that has been talked about since early March and would be a great fourth-quarter treat for boxing fans.
Beltran, in speaking to TheBoxingTruth.com, was quoted as saying, "Be it Donaire, or anyone else, Montiel will fight them if the economic conditions surrounding the fight are correct. Nothing is close to being finalized for a bout with Donaire."
Nonito Donaire has come under fire for his lackluster choice of opposition since he scored 2007's Knockout of the Year over then-undefeated Vic Darchinyan. He has clamored for fights with some of his division's best, but has settled for the likes of Manuel Vargas, a Strawweight moving up three divisions to challenge Ring Magazine's #4-ranked Pound-For-Pound fighter. Some have wondered if he prices himself out of fights, or if he is being protected until he is ready to take the Filipino hero torch from Manny Pacquiao.
As it stands, Manny Pacquiao has moved on to a Jr. Middleweight fight with Top Rank stablemate Antonio Margarito, reportedly to be held in Mexico. Mayweather may also look to produce another second-rate replacement match for the biggest fight of this young century. If Donaire and Montiel never sit down and work out a deal, there should be plenty of options for both men. Montiel may take on Vic Darchinyan or Eric Morel. Based on recent actions, however, we can expect Donaire to fight under-sized in-house opposition on a self-distributed "Pinoy Power" pay-per-view show, while we wonder why Arum has again taken the path of least resistance at the expense of the sport.