Undercard to Pacquiao-Hatton: HBO vs. Showtime

Promoter Bob Arum said Monday it's no slam dunk to believe the May 2 Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton junior-middleweight fight will be televised on HBO pay-per-view.

Arum, who continues plotting to get boxing back on network television by arranging sponsors to buy the network's advertising time, says he likes the idea of having Showtime distribute Pacquiao-Hatton on pay-per-view with its parent company CBS advertising the bout or even airing a pre-fight show like HBO has done with its "24/7" reality series.

"Legally, we're free to negotiate with Showtime for this fight, and we will next week in New York," said Arum, who promotes Pacquiao. "This is being talked about seriously. In order for boxing to prosper, it has to be on free network TV. CBS, because of its relationship with Showtime, is best positioned to be the network that does this. [CBS President] Les Moonves is a huge fight fan."

HBO has been the dominant player in pay-per-view boxing, offering such battles as Pacquiao-Oscar De La Hoya, Hatton-Floyd Mayweather Jr. and the record-setting De La Hoya-Mayweather bout of May 2007.

Arum has shown he's not married to HBO, however, staging his own Top Rank pay-per-view bouts, and now newly empowered by Pacquiao's one-sided triumph over the popular, but likely retiring De La Hoya, the veteran promoter has a trump card to maximize the best possible deal.

-- Lance Pugmire

Photo: Boxing promoter Bob Arum, left, and Manny Pacquiao celebrate after Pacquiao defeated Oscar De La Hoya. Credit: Jae C. Hong / AP

Comments

[Bob Arum]

PS the fights at Junior Welterweight not Junior Middleweight and we haven't decided whether or not we are going to let HBO in on this.

- Bob Arum, Top Rank CEO

[jefrockz]

i admire m.r.bob arum for reviving the dying boxing and make this sweet science
an interesting part of sport....also thanking him for backing up building the career of
the pacman together with pop roach

[Quinito Henson XX]

Manny Pacquiao will destroy Ricky Hatton, just like how Floyd Gayweather perfectly and scientifically dismanteled Arturo Gatti.

[arvello v. ello]

This is nice, in a free society with free enterprise, you can do whatever is good for the Boxing world, Godfather Bob.

[RT]

I like the idea that two of the biggest promotional and broadcasting institutions will work together in peace and harmony for the sake of giving boxing fans what they enjoy and love--to see the greatest fighters and most humble people in the sport fight each other. This fight feels like another ideal battle not between good vs. evil, but good versus good, best versus best, which might have lots of good-old drama, movie-like entertainment, like in the documentary HBO 24/7, and blood!

[mobile dick]

Arum is an old school. He knows what he's doing. CBS is also a big company. Maybe it's time to let others handle this PPV thing.

[Ferdie]

Easier accessibility to network TV would mean greater audience coverage. More & greater exposure increases the popularity of boxing worldwide. As the saying goes "What you plant today, you'll harvest Tomorrow". No way anyman can be rewarded without first planting his seed.

[eugene fortes]

a name for the future manny-ricky fight will be
pacMAN vs hitMAN who is the man?

[JERRY]

Mr. Fricky hatton & Ms. Gayweather are no match for the lefty pound for pound King Mr. Manny Pacman Paqcute...

[Alexander Rommel Espiritu]

That makes Mr. Bob Arum as a cut above the rest. He recognizes and practices social responsibility in running his business.

[Duke66]

God BLess the Bob Father

[bet]

GO bobfather kick HBO/Ross greenburg's butt

[Jacob]

Manny cannot beat Mayweather in his own natural weight. You are just making some fun. Even Oscar, if he is in his natural weight it's impossible for manny to beat OSCAR. You cannot prove that pacquiao is the pound for pound fighter because De La Hoya is not ih his natural weight. Try to fight oscar at 154, so that pacquiao can get his prize fighting at 154 to dela hoya or mayweather jr...

[Analyst]

"Manny cannot beat Mayweather in his own natural weight. You are just making some fun. Even Oscar, if he is in his natural weight it's impossible for manny to beat OSCAR. You cannot prove that pacquiao is the pound for pound fighter because De La Hoya is not ih his natural weight. Try to fight oscar at 154, so that pacquiao can get his prize fighting at 154 to dela hoya or mayweather jr..."

Why, do you think Manny was at his own natural weight when he fought Oscar? Maybe you forgot my friend that Manny was campaigning at 130 only months before his fight with Oscar at 147 and the highest he fought at was at 135 (only once). This is the reason why they agreed on a catch weight. Try to picture this... it is impossible for both Mayweather and Oscar to beat Manny at his own natural weight at either 130 or 135. Not fair huh? Try not to be one-sided man...

[murf]

before fight night everybody says manny can't beat barrera, morales, marquez, diaz and dela joya, they are all wrong, all his opponents kiss the ground.

[ospreybear]

agree with u , mr analyst and to carry this one step futher mayweather vs manny at a catch weight would be one hell of a fight. maybe if we tamper with mayweather 's ego he will come back to fight manny

[pipino]

i think the fight should stay at hbo cuz it draws more fans and i would love to see pacquiao vs hatton on 24/7 it just pumps fans up more before fights

[jios]

i think the match will be more interesting if the undercard will be BOBBY PACQUIAO vs. MATTHEW HATTON at the light welter division... how about that ? i mean bobby is in lightweight right now whjle matthew is in welterweight and they can clash at 140. bobby is 5'7" and 171 in reach while matthew is 5'8" with 173 reach... sounds good... the match will feature a brother 2 brother brawl!!!