Michael Marley
6/18/2007

Loose lips, they say, sink ships. So Admiral Arum, Bob Arum to you, is biting down and following the orders of a mediator to keep his mouth mostly shut about an impending settlement of lawsuits (plural) between the S.S. Top Rank and the S.S. Golden Boy.

 

“I can’t talk,” Arum said Monday afternoon. “I really can’t. There is a gag order on both sides. But my feeling is this (mediation) will take it course.”

 

So when can boxing fans expect a conclusion to the litigation drama?

 

“Maybe tonight or tomorrow,” Arum said. “Goodbye!”

 

Even Ray Charles could see they wouldn’t be still talking if they had made zero progress to a sensible solutuion. If that was the case, they would’ve stormed out Saturday afternoon and said “see you in court.”

 

Boxingconfidential.com has learned that the mediation process is continuing as both sides try to find a way to dispose of their legal disputes. The “beef” of most interest to fight fans is the fact that both boxing promotional companies claim to be the exclusive promoter of Pinoy boxing idol Manny Pacquaio. There is another lawsuit, filed in Nevada in which Top Rank claims GBP owes it money from De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather because of its old promotional contract on Oscar.

 

But the key to pugilistic peace between the promotional powerhouses is what to do with Pacquiao? Arum has Pacman and GBP has the most attractive Pacman opponents, Marco Antonio Barrera, Joan Guzman and Juan Manuel Marquez. As for unbeaten terror Edwin Valero, his promoter, Japan’s Akihiko Honda, is on good terms with both TR and GBP. Valero, a former GBP fighter, would have real trouble getting licensed in the U.S. due to a brain injury from some years ago. Maybe TR and GBP could lean or relearn that simple lesson Oscar and matchmaker Eric Gomez first learned when they were in kindergarten together in East LA.

 

You know, sharing. As in sharing the rights to Pacman and co-promoting his bouts for a defined term or against defined opponents.

 

Boxingconfidential.com has learned, from unimpeachable sources, that another powerhouse has gently intervened, speaking to key players on both sides of the table. HBO executives have made it known that they love Pacquiao and that they want to see Megamanny in the ring with GBP’s talented trio.

 

I'm not comparing Megamanny to a nag but HBO could set up a Triple Crown--Barrera is the Kentucky Derby for MP, Guzman is the Preakness Stakes and then JM Marquez is the Belmont. Can Manny outrun them all over the distance? Humberto Soto is one tough hombre but he doesn't bring much to the marketing table other than being a Mexicano, does he?

 

“HBO has made its feelings known in a low key but plain manner,” the Sixth Avenue source told me. “Their mandate is to deliver the best matchups in boxing on HBO and HBO PPV. They are not showing a lot of interest in lesser marquee matchups for Manny. You know that message hits both Top Rank and Golden Boy in their most sensitive spot, the pocket.”

 

We’ll stay tuned and expect you to keep it locked on Boxingconfidential.com. Pacman peace in our time? As the comic Judy Tenuta likes to say, it could happen.

 

It says here, in Michael Marley's Cracked Crystal Ball, there will be peace in the valley very late tonight or by midday Tuesday.

 

Then TR and GBP can let the real fights begin.

 

(mlcmarley@aol.com)