Arum hits out at critics

Arum with national treasure Pacquiao

I wouldn't have allowed this fight to happen if I didn't feel in my heart of hearts that Manny could win the fight. That doesn't mean he will win, I really believe he will win and it is very, very competitive.

Bob Arum
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DE LA HOYA v PACQUIAO
12 Rounds welterweight
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Promoter Bob Arum has blasted back at the "haters" and "know-nothings" criticising Saturday's huge showdown between Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao.

Boxing's biggest box-office draw and the current P4P king meet in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas what the promoters are calling 'The Dream Match'.

But many sceptics have slated the decision to match the pair, with De La Hoya fighting at light-middleweight just a year ago (154lbs) while Pacman plied his trade down at super-feather (130lbs).

Saturday's clash will be at welterweight, and Arum says the critics just don't have a valid argument.

He said on a conference call: "This flies in the face of the whole history of boxing. Throughout history smaller guys went up in weight - it has to be an exceptional smaller guy, it can't be a run-of-the-mill smaller guy - to fight great, great fighters in the higher weights and very often the little guy won. That happens all the time."

Promoting Filipino icon Pacquiao isn't just a case of looking after another fighter for Arum, it's akin to guarding a national treasure. And he admits it's a big responsibility.

Haters

"From my standpoint I feel a tremendous sense of responsibility to Manny Pacquiao, who is the icon of a nation with 90 million people," he said.

"I wouldn't have allowed this fight to happen if I didn't feel in my heart of hearts that Manny could win the fight. That doesn't mean he will win, I really believe he will win and it is very, very competitive.

"In Manny Pacquiao you're not dealing with just an ordinary fighter or a great fighter. You don't put somebody in a fight that you don't believe he can win and your matchmakers don't believe he can win just for money. You don't do that.

"I believe Manny will win the fight, I believe he can win the fight. Freddie Roach believes he will win the fight. Bruce Trampler (Top Rank matchmaker) believes he can and will win the fight. Those are the people whose views I respect. The haters out there and the know-nothings out there can say what they want. It has no effect on me."

Richard Schaefer, CEO of De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, echoed Arum's sentiments.

"It's unfortunate that the sport of boxing has these certain boxing media members and certain promoters and certain fighters who are jealous if they're not part of it," he added.

"Manny comes to fight, Oscar comes to fight. You know it's going to be a hell of a fight and that's what our sport needs."