MANILA, Philippines - Matagal na sa professional boxing si Bob Arum ng Top Rank Promotions.
At alam ng 85-anyos na veteran promoter na kahit ang pinakapaboritong boksingero ay tinatalo ng isang dehado.
Ginawa ni Arum ang una niyang promotional fight noong 1966 nang talunin ni Muhammad Ali si Canadian George Chuvalo sa Toronto sa kanilang world heavyweight title bout.
Si Arum din ang namahala sa makasaysayang Ali-Joe Frazier “Thrilla in Manila”, ang laban nina Sugar Ray Leonard at Marvin Hag-ler, ang halos karamihan ng epic title fights ni Roberto Duran at ang super fight nina Manny Pacquiao at Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
Kaya naman kontra kay Australian challen-ger Jeff Horn ay binalaan niya si Pacquiao na mag-ingat sa kanilang bakbakan sa Hulyo 2 sa 55,000-seater na Suncorp Stadium sa Brisbane, Australia.
“If his fight with Pacquiao was in (Las) Vegas or Madison Square Garden in New York, I wouldn't give him (Horn) much of a chance, because I think nerves would take over against a fighter like Manny,” sabi ni Arum sa panayam ng The Courier Mail.
“But the fact that Jeff is going to be fighting in front of so many of his countrymen will calm his nerves, and I think he will give a great account of himself,” dagdag pa nito.
Nagtala rin ng ma-lalaking panalo si Horn noong nakaraang taon kontra kina dating world champions Randall Bailey at Ali Funeka.
Sa kanilang laban ay tatayong paborito si Pacquiao.
“Manny is a big favorite,” wika ni Arum sa Senador. “But in bo-xing, anything can happen, and I have seen a lot of big upsets in my time.”
Idedepensa ni Pacquiao (59-6-2, 38 KOs) ang kanyang hawak na World Boxing Organi-zation welterweight title laban kay Horn (16-0-1, 11 KOs).
Kumpiyansa si Arum na pupunuin ng mga Australian fans ang SunCorp Stadium.
“I'm so glad that after a long time of negotiations, it is coming to Brisbane and the huge stadium you have there,” ani Arum.