Pacquiao’s camp blames Arum for ‘no-title’ fiasco

By NICK GIONGCO

July 31, 2009, 7:11pm

The insistence of Miguel Cotto not to put his world title at stake when he fights Manny Pacquiao is being blamed on Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum.

Pacquiao lawyer Franklin Gacal said on Friday that Arum's hasty decision to come out with an announcement about the Pacquiao-Cotto fight scheduled Nov. 14 in Las Vegas early last week could be one of the reasons behind the insistence of Cotto to stand firm on his decision not to stake the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown.

"I don't know why Bob made the announcement when in fact we haven't seen the (official) contract," said Gacal when asked about the other pertinent details of the contract.

Arum has both Pacquiao and Cotto under the promotional banner of Top Rank.

Cotto's decision not to risk the WBO 147-lb crown stems from the fact that the fight is going to be at a catch weight of 145 lbs and that during the negotiations, Team Pacquiao did not bother to raise the issue.

Cotto said he will only risk the WBO title if Pacquiao agrees to face him at 147 lbs.

"(My decision is) final and firm," Cotto told El Nuevo Dia in a story that appeared on the paper's July 31 issue. "The belt is not going to be on the line in the fight."

Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach, already panicky about the prospects of bringing Pacquiao somewhere else other than the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, was bothered when told about the development.

"The WBO should make it a title fight. We don’t need the fight if the title is not on the line," Roach told The Bulletin. "I want Manny to do this for a reason. I want Manny to win seven world titles. Titles are overrated but I would like to see Manny do this."

There's been no seven-division world champion in boxing and Roach is dead-sure Pacquiao will become the very first when he faces Cotto.

Pacquiao has won legitimate world titles at flyweight (112 lbs), super-bantam (122), super-feather (130) and lightweight (135), but was widely recognized as well when he beat Marco Antonio Barrera for the Ring magazine featherweight (126) crown and Ricky Hatton last May even if the Englishman, considered as the best in the division, held the fringe International Boxing Organization junior-welter (140) diadem.

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/213744/pacquiao-s-camp-blames-arum-notitle-fiasco (July 31, 2009)

Maybe Arum wants Oscar's Ring belt for Pacquiao

A doctor who is personable and empathetic is said to have a good bedside manner.

I’ve never heard a similar expression as to lawyers but I suppose “collegiality” comes close.

Mark WBO president and attorney Francisco “Paco” Valcacel, whose gaudy world championship belts have just been mocked as worth “only five dollars” by acerbic attorney and promoter Bob Arum, as someone who can laugh at foolish criticism.

“I know that Manny Pacquiao wants to fight Miguel Cotto for the WBO welterweight title. I know that Manny will have a chance to make real history if he can win a seventh world title in his seventh weight division. That is meaningful and important to Manny and all his fans but apparently not to Bob.

“So why doesn’t Bob have them fight for The Ring magazine title?” Valcarcel said laughing heartily.

(Sidelight: Bay Area Bomber and Examiner Colin Seymour takes the opposite tack on the subject, preferring I guess "the man makes the belts" view. I agree with Seymour as to the Old School way of eight weight classes and one belt per division being superior but now we live in a world in which boxing has more "champs" than pro wrestling does. Meanwhile, Examiner Dennis Guillermo is not snoozing and losing in Naptown because he agrees with his favorite magilla White Gorilla (meaning me) that Arum is disregarding the emotions and desires of the great Pacquiao fan base.)

That would never happen, Pacman vying for the magazine strap as Arum is not going to have two of his star fighters battling for a title bestowed by a publication owned lock, stock and barrel by rival promoter Oscar de la Hoya.

Today’s fun fact is, of course, that Pacman would be smashing Oscar’s record of six world titles in as many divisions if he can dethrone the Puerto Rican.

Valcarcel is a social friend of Puerto Rico resident de la Hoya and the two have frequently played golf together.

I asked Paco what kind of response he’s been getting from Pacquiao’s Worldwide Army (PWA) on this hot button issue as to when and if the $150,000 per fighter sanction fees will be rendered to the Puerto Rico base WBO.

“Have I?” Valcarcel said, chuckling. “I have got 4,000 emails and we’ve gotten many phone calls at the WBO office. Many of the Manny fans are saying we favor Cotto because he’s Puerto Rican but that is not true.”

As far as Arum’s estimate of what the WBO strap is worth, Valcarcel said he is only off by $1,195.

“I would say the belt costs about $1,200,” Valcarcel said. “But, to a world champion, the value is in the history of winning the world title. I don’t think anyone would tell Miguel or Manny they have a five dollar belt, do you?”

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-5699-NY-Boxing-Examiner~y2009m7d30-WBO-Boss-Maybe-Arum-wants-Ring-belt-for-Pacquaio (July 30, 2009)