Arum on Ortiz, Etc.
Pacquiao played host to a workout Wednesday at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood. Arum, of course, was present. First he was asked what he thought about Ortiz's victory Saturday.
"I thought it was a gutty performance and it really surprised me because based on his past body of work, I didn't feel that he could perform like that," Arum said.
"Now whether this was a one-time thing, or it's what we have to expect from Ortiz, it was a very, very good performance."
Arum was then asked if he might consider putting Ortiz in with Pacquiao, Ortiz's promotional status with Golden Boy notwithstanding. Before Arum had a chance to answer, it was pointed out to him that Ortiz is of Mexican descent and, of course, good Mexican fighters usually sell well.
"He's hardly a Mexican," Arum said. "He has, obviously, a Mexican last name. But he was raised in the Midwest (Kansas) and he doesn't speak Spanish, so he's not a person that would appeal particularly to the Mexicans. But that being said, we're not going to be stopped by anything as far as opponents are concerned.
We've got plenty of guys out there. Manny is ready to fight anyone.
"There is a whole host of guys that we're considering for the next fight, led by Marquez, but also Zab Judah or Timothy Bradley. And Ortiz, with another victory or two, would figure into it."
Does that mean, Arum was asked, that his extremely strained relationship with De La Hoya and Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer would not stand in the way of a Pacquiao-Ortiz fight?
"Only under the condition that they make a full and open apology to Manny Pacquiao," Arum said. "Because it's not me, it's Pacquiao. I'm a protector of Pacquiao, as his promoter. What they said about Pacquiao, both Oscar and Richard, is disgusting."
Arum was talking about the alleged accusations the two - along with the Mayweathers - made regarding Pacquiao's never-proven and supposed use of performance-enhancing drugs, which resulted in a defamation suit filed by Pacquiao against the lot.
"It was based on no evidence at all," Arum said. "It was just designed to hurt and defame and they have to account for that. There are no free lunches. You're responsible for what you say. If they said bad things about me, well, I'm a promoter and business is business and so it doesn't affect me the same way as saying defamatory things about somebody like Manny Pacquiao, whose boxing career is just a weigh station in his life where he hopes to become president of a country and a world leader. And you don't want that stigma to follow you."
Pacquiao played host to a workout Wednesday at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood. Arum, of course, was present. First he was asked what he thought about Ortiz's victory Saturday.
"I thought it was a gutty performance and it really surprised me because based on his past body of work, I didn't feel that he could perform like that," Arum said.
"Now whether this was a one-time thing, or it's what we have to expect from Ortiz, it was a very, very good performance."
Arum was then asked if he might consider putting Ortiz in with Pacquiao, Ortiz's promotional status with Golden Boy notwithstanding. Before Arum had a chance to answer, it was pointed out to him that Ortiz is of Mexican descent and, of course, good Mexican fighters usually sell well.
"He's hardly a Mexican," Arum said. "He has, obviously, a Mexican last name. But he was raised in the Midwest (Kansas) and he doesn't speak Spanish, so he's not a person that would appeal particularly to the Mexicans. But that being said, we're not going to be stopped by anything as far as opponents are concerned.
We've got plenty of guys out there. Manny is ready to fight anyone.
"There is a whole host of guys that we're considering for the next fight, led by Marquez, but also Zab Judah or Timothy Bradley. And Ortiz, with another victory or two, would figure into it."
Does that mean, Arum was asked, that his extremely strained relationship with De La Hoya and Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer would not stand in the way of a Pacquiao-Ortiz fight?
"Only under the condition that they make a full and open apology to Manny Pacquiao," Arum said. "Because it's not me, it's Pacquiao. I'm a protector of Pacquiao, as his promoter. What they said about Pacquiao, both Oscar and Richard, is disgusting."
Arum was talking about the alleged accusations the two - along with the Mayweathers - made regarding Pacquiao's never-proven and supposed use of performance-enhancing drugs, which resulted in a defamation suit filed by Pacquiao against the lot.
"It was based on no evidence at all," Arum said. "It was just designed to hurt and defame and they have to account for that. There are no free lunches. You're responsible for what you say. If they said bad things about me, well, I'm a promoter and business is business and so it doesn't affect me the same way as saying defamatory things about somebody like Manny Pacquiao, whose boxing career is just a weigh station in his life where he hopes to become president of a country and a world leader. And you don't want that stigma to follow you."
