Brisk sale of tickets for Manny-JuanMa

MANILA, Philippines - There’s no problem at all selling Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez because it’s always been a sellout.

Bob Arum, the chief promoter of what could be the most explosive fight of the year, yesterday said tickets are flying off the shelves.

Close to 13,000 tickets have been sold in the first week of sales, meaning there are only 3,000, give and take, left for the Dec. 8 showdown in Las Vegas.

The fight, the fourth and hopefully the last between the two ring warriors, will take place at the MGM Grand, which hosted two of their first three showdowns.

According to publicist Fred Sternburg, the early numbers make Pacquiao vs Marquez Part 4 “the biggest seller of their amazing series.”

Arum, boxing’s greatest salesman, is happy with the early numbers. He knew from the start Pacquiao vs Marquez is a fight fans still want to see.

“We are ecstatic with the response,” said Arum, who was part of the promotional team that brought “Thrilla in Manila” to the Philippines on Oct. 1, 1975.

In 1974, Arum also promoted American daredevil Evil Knievel’s jump over Snake River Canyon. But he said nothing compares to promoting Pacquiao fights.

Ticket prices for the December clash are pegged at $1,200, $900, $600, $400, and $200. This early, floor tickets are already being sold on eBay for as much as $3,434 (roughly P144,000) each.

Sooner or later these tickets will sell like gold.

The betting odds are also out, and the great Filipino boxer is off the gates at -400.

This means that Pacquiao is the clear favorite against Marquez, who was listed initially at +300.

In layman’s terms, you need to put in $400 just to win $100 if you’re for Pacquiao. On the other hand, a wager of $100 wins $300 if you’re for Marquez.

This fight is a sure hit.