Arum: Manny will beat Floyd

MANILA, Philippines - This early, Bob Arum is making a promise.

Just hours after Floyd Mayweather Jr. announced that his fight with Manny Pacquiao is on, the Top Rank chief has guaranteed a victory for the Filipino superstar.

“I want to assure everybody in the Philippines that we’re going win this fight,” Arum, chief of Top Rank Promotions, told The STAR on the phone.

Arum sounded so happy that the fight is on.

“It’s been a long time coming. But we got the fight done. And I’m personally very, very happy, and particularly happy for Manny Pacquiao,” he said.

Without being asked, the 83-year-old who’d promoted and witnessed some of the great fights in history, issued a forecast.

Pacquiao, he said, will beat Mayweather on May 2 at the MGM Grand, and become the undisputed welterweight champion.

“I know how much he wanted this fight,” said Arum.

Oddsmakers see it differently in making Mayweather, who will turn 38 on Tuesday, as a 3-1 favorite.

“Manny is going to try to do what 47 before him failed to do, but he won’t be successful. He will be number 48,” Mayweather said.

Pacquiao is so motivated and so confident against Mayweather.

“Manny is going to win and he’s going to win decisively and establish himself without any question as the greatest fighter in the world,” added Arum.

The fight is perhaps five or six years too late but fight fans are still dying to see it happen – live (for as much as $5,000) or on screen (for pay-per-view price of $89).

As far as boxing promotion is concerned, Arum has been there and done that.

He was in Manila helping promote the iconic battle between heavyweight legends Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in 1975.

For years he promoted Mayweather until a bitter parting of ways in 2006. Now, they’re on the opposite sides.

Mayweather is undefeated in 47 fights, and loves to call himself as “The Best Ever.”

But Arum is always around to dispute that claim.

“Manny Pacquiao is the greatest boxer I’ve ever worked with,” Arum once said.

Now, the Top Rank chief can’t wait to see it all happen on May 2 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Either way, via stoppage or via decision, he said Pacquiao will beat Mayweather.

“He will win,” Arum said over the phone.

Then he excused himself.

“I’ve got to get off. I’ve got a million calls,” Arum said.