MANILA, Philippines - Bob Arum is hopeful that Manny Pacquiao would again change his mind and stage his next fight in November, as earlier discussed, planned and scheduled.
Pacquiao adviser Mike Koncz announced last Wednesday they have requested the Top Rank chief to push the Nov. 10 schedule to Dec. 1.
Koncz cited Pacquiao’s plans for the May 2013 elections as the reason. He said Pacquiao is required to file his candidacy from Oct. 1 to Oct. 5.
By that time, Pacquiao should be training in Los Angeles, and therefore he may have to break camp for a few days to fly home to file his candidacy.
Pacquiao doesn’t want his training to be interrupted, and so he decided to push the date of his next fight to the first day of December.
But the Commission on Elections said Pacquiao need not be physically present in filing his certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Comelec office in Manila.
“It is possible since he can just send his authorized representative to file his COC,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez was quoted as saying yesterday.
The Comelec added that COCs will not be accepted through mail, telegram or facsimile. Pacquiao has more than a hundred men who can file it for him.
Brad Cooney of www.8countnews.com was quick to get Arum’s reaction.
“The election commission just ruled in the Philippines that Manny can authorize somebody to file for him. He doesn’t have to be back in October,” Arum said.
“Manny can have an authorized representative file his papers for him,” added the ageless promoter who is not giving up on a Nov. 10 fight at the MGM Grand.
Pacquiao, a congressman in Sarangani, is reportedly eyeing the governorship in his province in May. The campaign period for the next elections begins on March 29.
Speculations have that Pacquiao decided to move the date to Dec. 1 because he’s hoping that a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. can still be made that day.
It has been reported that “secret negotiations” are going on between Pacquiao and Mayweather representatives.
The possibility of the superfight finally happening has kept Pacquiao from choosing among Timothy Bradley, Juan Manuel Marquez and Miguel Cotto as his Nov. 10 opponent.
Arum, however, said the fight with Mayweather in December won’t happen.
“From what we best can gather, Mayweather is not going to fight this year. We hope to meet with them as soon as possible to work out an arrangement for a fight with him and Pacquiao for the spring of next year,” Arum told www.8countnews.com.
It was also reported that Pacquiao would be willing to wait, and skip November or December, if he can fight Mayweather in April 2013.
Arum said he expects to discuss things with Pacquiao this weekend, and hopefully they can land on the same page so that they can make the announcement.
“Yes everything will be decided by the weekend. I have had meetings with everyone and by Monday afternoon we will announce the place, the opponent, and the date.
“Don’t go overboard on this statement that the fight has to be on December 1st because of Manny’s election,” Arum said.