Lou Dibella gives Bob Arum Sergio Martinez – Manny Pacquiao fight terms
Sergio Martinez’s stunning weekend knockout of Paul Williams has opened several doors for promoter Lou Dibella, and he isn’t going to miss the opportunities.
Following comments made by Bob Arum about the possibility of Martinez-Manny Pacquiao, Dibella thinks the two fighters could meet at a catchweight of 155 pounds.
Arum recently conveyed doubts to Fanhouse that a Martinez – Pacquiao bout could take place, since his fighter Pacquiao is much smaller.
Arum said: “Even if he [Pacquiao] beat Martinez, which I believe that he would, and even if he turns it into a fairly easy fight, because he's fighting someone who is a much bigger, stronger guy, he could get hurt like he did in there against Antonio Margarito.”
“You can get him hurt once in a couple of years, but you can't keep getting him hurt every fight and expect him to continue fighting.”
Arum concluded he would like to keep Pacquiao fighting welterweight opponents (147 pounds) so that “Pacman” doesn’t use up his remaining assets faster than is necessary.
Dibella responded to boxingscene.com: “If Bob feels that way, let's make the fight at 155. I know the fight won't happen next. Manny will have his fight. Sergio's next fight is going to be on HBO. Let's build the fight and make it happen next year.”
“I think Sergio is the best fighter in the world. I know Pacquiao won't duck any challenge. We'll make the fight at 155, and frankly Sergio would have to kill himself to get there.”
Pacquiao, though recently the inheritor of the WBC junior middleweight crown, (154) has never fought at a weight higher than his contracted 150-pounds with Antonio Margarito. For the weigh in Pacquiao couldn’t even make the weight, coming in at 144.6.
Should a fight with Martinez happen at 155 pounds, it is possible that Martinez could weigh close to 170 pounds by fight time. Pacquiao has never weighed more than 150 pounds for a fight.
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