Arum gives a 'smile' on Pacman-Mayweather bout

MANILA -- Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said he expects to make a formal announcement about the negotiations for the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight early next week.

“I met with Manny this morning… it was positive,” Arum said during the announcement of a tie up between Top Rank and ABS-CBN Broadcasting network Friday afternoon.

“You guys can interpret that anyway you want,” said Arum. “But you see a smile on my face so I'm not disappointed [with the Pacquiao meeting].”

The seasoned promoter said he will be leaving for the US on Sunday so that he can finalize all the arrangements with Mayweather’s camp to finally seal the deal and announce the mega-fight.

“Now my job is to go back to the United States, sit with Richard Schaefer (CEO of Golden Boy Promotions) and the Mayweather people… so that we can make an announcement in a short term,” said Arum.

“My goal is that we can make a preliminary announcement sometime next week,” he added.

Mum on details
When asked about the details of his meeting with Pacquiao, Arum said he has an agreement with the Mayweather camp that they won’t discuss details to the media “until we're ready to make an announcement.”

Arum said they plan to hold the fight on March 13.

Mayweather has reportedly acceded to terms for a welterweight title fight with the Filipino superstar at 147 lbs.

Fight fans are clamoring for a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight to settle who among both boxers should rightfully be called the pound-for-pound king.

Mayweather, who won six boxing titles in five weight classes, was the best pound-for-pound fighter until he “temporarily retired from the sport in June 2008.

Pacquiao, then the No. 2 pound-for-pound, succeeded Mayweather’s throne en route to winning his seventh world title in seven weight divisions last month.

Source ABS-CBN.com