Arum says MP payments overdue, fears cancellation

MANILA, Philippines — Despite verbal assurances that the fight is on, other parties to the Manny Pacquiao vs Lucas Matthysse title bout on July 15 continue to fear the opposite.

“As far as I am concerned, everything is fine,” said Pacquiao from his training camp in General Santos City.

The media officer of MP Promotions said he was in contact with Team Matthysse, which is holed out somewhere in California, and was told the same.

Arnold Vegafria, handling the marketing and sales of the fight for Pacquiao, said, “Everyone is on board… the fight is going as planned.”

But according to Bob Arum, whose Top Rank Promotions has handled Pacquiao fights the last decade or so, said the fight is facing the risk of postponement or cancellation.

Top Rank is out of the promotional side in this fight, because of perceived differences between Pacquiao and Arum, and is limited to handling the fight broadcast in the US.

Arum has raised the red flag, and told ESPN.com that certain deadlines have been missed, mostly dealing with the finances. 

The remainder of Matthysse’s purse, reportedly at $2 million, has yet to be deposited into an escrow account after an initial payment of $500,000.

Unless money is in the bank, Matthysse may choose not to climb the ring at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur on July 15.

Arum said deadlines have also been missed regarding production and the airing of the fight on ESPN pay-per-view, and the report said with this development “that is no longer feasible.”

If the fight pushes through, it will be aired in the US on regular ESPN.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen with the fight,” Arum told ESPN.com.

Without a pay-per-view, which accounts for a substantial percentage of ring revenues, and sponsors, Pacquiao Promotions could wind up singlehandedly footing the bill for a losing proposition.