Bob Arum is a quote machine

"Nobody in the U.S. cares," might not make it to the Quote Hall of Fame in Wilkes-Barre, PA, but if promoter Bob Arum turns this seeming malaise-like situation around it should get consideration for at least a bumper sticker like "Don't taze me bro."

Arum's words are the worst quote I can remember since late U.S. President Gerald R. Ford told New York City to simply "Drop Dead" back in the mid 1970's during a much more serious heated financial crisis.

Boxing history, the Manny Pacquiao legacy and the intangible fanaticism of his worldwide appeal are what Bob Arum uses the Monday morning after each Pacquiao fight to create the interest in his next fight and generate millions of dollars.

I believe the loyal Pinoy fans and most worldwide media caught up in this believe Top Rank seems to be arrogant so far in getting behind this Pacquiao - Cotto fight.

That the opponent (Cotto) actually wants to dictate terms of the fight is downright insulting to Pinoy fans and Pinoy media. They want to know why Arum didn't cut short his vacation and handle this assault to their senses, national pride and Pacquiao himself.

Like most things, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Whatever Arum is doing is working.

Nobody is paying attention to that other fight.


Do the media and fans just have too much time on their respective hands?

Pacquiao is a warrior and he wants to fight the best available opponents before winding down his storied Hall of Fame career.

So why are Arum and Miguel Cotto even having a say in this?

Take the fight at reasonable Pacquiao terms or get out of the way. Is somebody vacationing in a clear conflict of interest here? I don't think so. I have previously said someone is getting bad advice from an outsider.

Cotto is clinging to the WBO welterweight title. It was a vacant title. Cotto was even coming off of a knockout loss. The belt was handed to him after beating one Michael Jennings. The title was vacant because Paul Williams gave it up to move up in weight to fight for the junior middleweight title against Winky Wright.

This is like Lennox Lewis picking the WBC belt out of the trash can after Riddick Bowe dumped it there after he refused to fight him. Lewis made something of himself.

What will Cotto do?

I assume Arum had a hand in this knowing he'd eventually get Pacquiao to move up in weight and fight Cotto at the same time locking up the title and weight division for his Top Rank company for a number of years by the time all the mandatory fights, unifications, and rematch clauses are exhausted.

This scenario can be seen in virtually all 17 legitimate weight divisions and the four worldwide recognized sanctioning bodies dating back to Cain-Abel I.

However, when you have a superstar, one who transcends the sport such as Manny Pacquiao, it can't be business as usual.

Business can't be done by a cookie-cutter in this situation.

World Boxing Council president Jose Sulaiman understands this and for the upcoming Super Middleweight Tournament being promoted by Showtime Network, he is making a positive adjustment.

Sulaiman is letting the tournament run it's course and WBC Champion Carl Froch can freely fight in the tournament without worrying about his mandatory defense and top contenders Andre Berto and Andre Dirrell can also compete freely of their WBC obligations during the expected 18 month tournament.

Cotto is a warrior himself, but I'm not interested in what he has to say. This title wasn't handed down by the Greek Gods to a glorious champion in this case. This was a cigar smoke-filled back room chop shop where promoters were wheeling and dealing.

Cotto is lucky a payday like Pacquiao has come along in his lfetime. And he won't defend a bogus title while being handed a minimum $5 million.

Cotto has had a fantastic career and is to be respected, but he has to pick his political fights better than it appears he has here by balking at putting his belt up against Cotto.

Five years from now Cotto wants to be remembered as a proud champ, who always had time for his fans and in his prime battled the legendary Pacquiao.

Not that he held the vacant WBO welterweight title but for unclear reasons wouldn't put the belt up against the Hall of Famer Pacquiao.


Professionally, how could Arum top or duplicate the effort and results from what he did with Oscar De La Hoya? At age 78, what he has done so far for a naturally light fighter, who speaks very broken English and has three losses and two draws on his record is the equivalent of Ted Williams hitting a home run in his last at bat.

Arum certainly has this event under control. He hasn't lost any sleep. He knows what he's doing.

Who's coming with the next great quote?

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-11372-Dallas-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m7d27-Bob-Arum-is-a-quote-machine