Arum: Ill economy could affect 'Dream' PPV sales

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao's promoter could only hope that "the Dream Match" doesn't become a pay-per-view nightmare. Bob Arum, president of the promotional outfit Top Rank Inc., didn't sound too optimistic about the PPV buys the Pacquiao-Oscar de la Hoya mega-fight would generate. Almost always self-assured, Arum pointed to the global financial crisis as part of the reason why he feels nervous this time. "I'm sitting here biting my nails on a fight that I thought was a slam dunk," Arum told ESPN.com boxing expert Dan Rafael in an article published Friday. "I won't get crushed, but all I want to do is pull this fight out." While tickets at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas were sold out in record time, PPV sales, considered the real lifeblood of major fight cards, will be critical. With the US economy in shambles, there's a chance an American viewer won't shell out $54.95 (P2,665.00) to get PPV access to the Pacquiao-de la Hoya fight without thinking multiple times. That means the match protagonists' pursuit of the record buy of 2.4 million set in the de la Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jr. bout in 2007 could take a hit. Both the Pacquiao and the de la Hoya camps toiled to get the hype machine rolling from the time the December 6 bout was announced officially. A cross-country promotional tour, a HBO 24/7 special and a worldwide media-conference call every week has been put up to raise interest for what has been called potentially as "fight of the year". The grim projection on a poor demand for PPV was even shared by the de la Hoya camp. Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, revealed to Los Angeles Times' Bill Dwyre last week that he is resigned to facing results that are below expectations. "My wildest dreams would be to break the record," Schaefer said, "but it won't happen." - GMANews.TV