Arum to get Pacquiao's nod on Floyd mega-fight

Top Rank honcho Bob Arum is now in the Philippines to get Manny Pacquiao’s nod on the proposed megafight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. Arum arrived Thursday morning with a proposed contract for a March 13 gig between two of boxing’s biggest superstars and pay-per-view magnets. According to the Associated Press, the contract was agreed to by Mayweather’s representatives but the flamboyant American boxer has yet to sign.

Arum would be presenting the proposal to Pacquiao later in the day in a meeting in Manila, although there are no guarantees the Filipino ring icon would readily give his consent. Pacquiao, after hacking out a 12th round TKO over Miguel Cotto to win an unprecedented seventh division title, has set his sights on the political arena in the next five months. The 30-year-old Pacquiao has filed his certificate of candidacy for Sarangani's seat at the House of Representatives and would be preoccupied with his bid until the May 10, 2010 elections. There are talks, according to a report by PhilBoxing.Com, that the "Pacman" might not even be inclined to climb the ring until the polls are over, a development that could possibly push the date back or even derail the Pacquiao-Mayweather megabuck encounter altogether. Still, the fact Arum would make the trip to the Philippines to try and get his fighter to sign for the bout was an indication that the megafight was moving forward. Promoters for both fighters had agreed to a blackout on negotiations for the bout, so no one would comment on the record. A person close to the promotion spoke to AP on terms his identity would remain confidential. If the fight is made, there would likely be a Jan. 11 press conference in New York to announce it. The bout could be the richest ever, assuming pay-per-view projections are accurate. Representatives of the Superdome in New Orleans and the new Dallas Cowboys' stadium have expressed interest in hosting the fight, as has the MGM Grand hotel-casino in Las Vegas, where the fighters have fought their biggest fights. There is also a proposal for a 30,000-seat temporary stadium on the Las Vegas Strip across from the Wynn resort. Oddsmakers are already taking bets on the fight, with most making the undefeated Mayweather a slight favorite. – with reports from AP