AMINADO si Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum ng Top Rank na hindi siya kumbinsidong kakayanin ng promoter sa United Arab Emirates ang $38 milyong premyo sa nakatakdang depensa ni Filipino WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao kay Amir Khan ng Great Britain sa Mayo 20.

Kung mangyayari ito, hindi siya mag-aatubiling tumulong kay Canadian Michael Koncz upang maging matagumpay ang sagupaang matagal na ring hinihintay ng boxing fans.

“In order for the fight to happen in the UAE, funds have to be produced to enable the fight to happen and I am hoping that those funds would materialize,” sabi ni Arum kay boxing writer Ray Wheatley ng World of Boxing. “However, if they don’t materialize, we have to do something else.”

“But Michael is optimistic that the funds will materialize, and once they do, then Top Rank will roll up its sleeves and help put on a tremendous worldwide event,” diin ni Arum.

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“If it’s real, we will assist putting on the event, but I am not holding my breath, and I’m not making plane reservations. We’ll see what we see. If the $38 million comes up, the fight will take place, and we’ll all be happy.

And if it doesn’t, there will be one guy who won’t be surprised,”

Naniniwala naman ang co-promoter ni WBO No. 2 Jeff Horn na si Dean Lonergan ng Duco Events sa New Zealand na malabong matuloy ang depensa ni Pacquiao kay Khan sa UAE kaya may pag-asa pa rin na magdepensa ang Pilipino sa Brisbane, Australia.

“I think the chances of Pacquiao receiving $38 million to fight Khan in the UAE on are somewhere between slim and zero. The situation will become a lot clearer after I talk to Bob Arum today,” sabi ni Lonergan kay boxing reporter Grantlee Kieza ng Courier Mail. “So far there is still no stadium booked in the UAE and still no word on who is supplying the $38 million.”

“It’s one thing for two fighters to say they’ve reached an agreement but it’s something else entirely to find the money, set up the promotion and all the global television deals that go with it. That takes months of planning,” dagdag ni Lonergan.

“If Manny really wants to pursue a fight with Khan in the UAE why doesn’t he give himself a few months to do it and come to Brisbane first for the fight with Jeff Horn? We have a very generous offer on the table with the money already guaranteed.’’ (Gilbert Espeña)