HBO PPV "will produce and distribute" the Nov. 12 Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas after Top Rank Chair Bob Arum indicated that he has spent "several weeks ... analyzing proposals from HBO and Showtime," according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com. In addition to the "usual promotional tools HBO would typically use for a fight" -- including the "24/7" reality series -- Arum said that the bout will be "promoted across Time Warner's numerous platforms." CNN will show replays of "24/7," and Arum and Pacquiao "will appear for a joint interview on Piers Morgan's primetime CNN show as well as be interviewed on CNN international programming." The fight will be promoted during TBS' coverage of the MLB playoffs, and if the NBA lockout is lifted, the fight "would also be promoted during TNT's basketball coverage." In addition, there will be "daily coverage of fight-week activities on HBO, including the final news conference and weigh-in." The news comes after Showtime beat out HBO for the rights to distribute the Pacquiao-Shane Mosley fight in May. Top Rank President Todd duBoef said, "In boxing we talk about great fighters coming back after a loss. Well, HBO came back just like a great fighter." duBoef said that he "personally notified HBO co-presidents Richard Plepler and Michael Lombardo by telephone on Friday afternoon to tell them Top Rank was accepting their proposal." He added that he "made the call" to Showtime Sports Exec VP & GM Ken Hershman to tell him about the decision. duBoef: "This has been a physically and mentally very grueling process. But it's invigorating to see how two major media companies have used incredible resources and assets to show how much they want to be involved in a boxing match." Arum said, "One of the things that motivated me personally (to make the HBO deal) is the attitude of Plepler and Lombardo. I think they are extremely bright guys and have the same vision that we have to make boxing big-time again and a desire to elevate it on a world stage" (ESPN.com, 8/5).
BACK IN THEIR CORNER: In Las Vegas, Steve Carp noted a factor in getting the Pacquiao deal done "might have been HBO's decision to have" Plepler and Lombardo "negotiate directly with Top Rank in place of Ross Greenburg, who resigned last month as head of HBO Sports and whose relationship with Arum had deteriorated in the past year" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 8/6). YAHOO SPORTS' Kevin Iole wrote securing the bout is a "boon for HBO, since it will now air fights involving Pacquiao” and Floyd Mayweather Jr. within two months of each other. Mayweather will fight Victor Ortiz on Sept. 17 in Las Vegas on HBO PPV (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 8/5). In Manila, Nick Giongcot noted Top Rank is "upbeat the numbers that will be generated by the pay-per-view will exceed expectations." Pacquiao’s "biggest PPV number was generated when he fought Shane Mosley last May on Showtime, drawing more than 1.3 million buys" (MANILA BULLETIN, 8/7).
