Pacquiao, Pavlik, Cotto-Margarito ; Arum has a lot on his mind

By Robert Morales

Unless there is a last-minute snafu, it appears the July 26 welterweight title unification fight between Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto is going to be contested in Las Vegas, promoter Bob Arum told us Tuesday.

Arum was on hand at a Los Angeles news conference promoting the June 28 lightweight title fight between champion David Diaz of Chicago and Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

"Everything we hope to conclude tomorrow," Arum said of Margarito-Cotto. "Right now it looks like the fight will be at the MGM Grand."

The fight at one point appeared headed to New York City's Madison Square Garden partly because Arum said the Nevada State Athletic Commission stipulated that welterweights wear 10-ounce gloves rather than eight. But that rule was amended and Arum on Tuesday indicated the deal should be finalized today.

This brings us to the fight itself. Arum promotes four of the most exciting and hard-hitting fighters in the world in Cotto, Margarito, Pacquiao and Kelly Pavlik. That he is pitting two of those monsters against each other is ultra cool.

After giving us the news on the venue, Arum spoke briefly about what figures to be a thriller.
"When you're in that situation, you have to ignore the fact that they're both your fighters, that you promote both of them, and ask yourself if this is the fight the public most wants to see," Arum said. "And if the answer is yes, you do the fight.

"You don't force it, but you do it. And you look at all the welterweights out there, and you think about the fights that people really want to see - yeah, Cotto-(Floyd) Mayweather would be No. 1, but that's not makeable - and the next is Cotto-Margarito. And that's the one you do."

Can't wait.

Arum had lots on his mind Tuesday. Such as one of his other aforementioned stars, middleweight champion Pavlik. The hero of Youngstown, Ohio, on June 7 in Atlantic City will defend his two championship belts against Gary Lockett of Wales. Lockett, 31, is 30-1 with 21 knockouts. But his list of opponents is not exactly awe-inspiring.

In other words, Pavlik should breeze. And then what? Perhaps a fight at super middleweight with another guy from Wales, Joe Calzaghe. It's being worked on.

"We'll have talks in New York before his fight with Lockett and after about matching him with Calzaghe at 168," Arum said. "I have preliminarily discussed this with Frank Warren, who appears to be on board and Frank will be with me in New York and Atlantic City all that week and hopefully we'll be able to put it together."

Warren promotes Calzaghe.

Arum said if this fight were to materialize, it would probably be in the fall. He said if it is to be televised on pay-per-view, it would likely be in Las Vegas. If not, it could end up in the United Kingdom.

Calzaghe, a super middleweight champion for 10 years, last month moved up to light heavyweight and defeated Bernard Hopkins via split decision. The undefeated Calzaghe (45-0, 32 KOs) is one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world. But Calzaghe, 36, has said he is not going to be fighting much longer. A fight between he and Pavlik would be huge.

"That would obviously be the biggest meaningful fight for Pavlik," Arum said.

Switching gears to Pacquiao-Diaz, questions abound. Is this a competitive fight? Sure, Diaz is the champion and Pacquiao is moving up in weight. But Pacquiao has had difficulty making the 130-pound junior lightweight limit. And whereas some who move up have difficulty maintaining their power, it's doubtful that will be the case with Pacquiao.

Moreover, it would not be surprising if he were even more powerful at 135. If that's the case, it doesn't seem like Diaz stands much of a chance. The current odds have him listed at about a 3 1/2-to-1 underdog.

But this fight is on pay-per-view. And Arum has to sell it. He said that Pacquiao moving up in weight is just one of many things to consider in handicapping this fight between two more of his fighters.

"And he's fighting a guy who is like a mirror image of his style, who doesn't give ground, who throws a million punches," Arum said. Like Pacquiao, Diaz is a southpaw. "It's almost like he's fighting himself."

Just then, Pacquiao walked by our table at the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown L.A. We sat him down and asked him about fighting at 135. He will be trying to become the first Asian to win world titles in four weight classes.

"It's not hard to move up to 135 pounds," Pacquiao said. "I'm very comfortable at this weight and feeling stronger."

Pacquaio was wearing that smile that only goes away when he's in the ring wreaking havoc.
As for Diaz, he made a prediction of sorts during his time on the dais.

"Manny Pacquiao is one of the best fighters, pound-for-pound, right now," Diaz said. "So to step into the ring with him is also an honor and it's a test for me to prove to myself because I know a lot of writers out there don't really believe in me.

"So I know I have to believe in myself in order to be victorious. ... I have nothing but the utmost respect for him and for (Pacquiao's trainer) Freddie Roach as well. But I plan on keeping the WBC lightweight championship. I'm sorry to tell you guys that. Especially to the Filipino people, I'm sorry."

One thing's for sure, even if the fight isn't competitive, it's going to be exciting. Just like all of Pacquiao's fights.